


Bug Catcher, Light Bearer

by thatgoldengal



Category: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Slow Burn, i'm gay and cannot be stopped
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2019-06-07 14:06:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 96,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15220811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatgoldengal/pseuds/thatgoldengal
Summary: You know, when work brings you into contact with another person frequently enough, you'll naturally learn some things about them. It's just osmosis, nothing special. Eventually, you'll even learn how much the two of you have in common! But the situation gets much more complicated when you’re the ruler of a benevolent kingdom of magical horses and the other person is the ruthless queen of a love-sucking changeling hive.You're on your own, there.





	1. Before

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. My name is I'm gay, and I cannot be stopped. You may also call me Rachel. What I present to you is a gift: I'm a huge fan of this ship, but I didn't really know of any fics of it that satisfied my needs, so I decided to take power into my own hands and write one myself. If you were in a similar situation, you're welcome, have fun.
> 
> This is a bit of a prologue, so it's a tad short. But I'm looking at uhhh… 10,000 words of material over here, so don't worry. See you in a couple weeks.

The dirty old pages of Starswirl's dusty tome splayed out before her, marks and tears from years of use cluttering its contents. Passages on various things such as Aboleth, Beholderkin, and Bugbears flew past her eyes until she landed on a particular page in the C section; upon it, below the overly-ornate heading, below the scribblings of an aging unicorn, was the hand-drawn image of a towering pony with an obsidian-black coat, insectoid wings, and a body dotted with gnarled holes. The note attached simply read “Queen Diptera”.

“Changelings, you say, Mr. Rich?”

As Princess Celestia finally spoke, the overcast sky outside blew a cold wind into the mansion’s open door with a clatter, dark brown leaves skittering across the carpet.

“Shh!” Mr. Rich whispered, silencing Celestia. “They don't know you're here, Princess! They're in the bedroom right now! Follow me!”

“Ah.” Celestia said, in a lowered voice, following closely behind. “And what proof do you have that your wife has been… replaced?”

Mr. Rich began leading Celestia up a flight of stairs decorated with paintings and grim statues, eventually reaching the mouth of a hallway. The illumination of Mr. Rich’s candle cast dark, warped shadows that stretched into the quiet darkness before them, revealing a door on the far side.

“That's… just not my wife! She doesn't speak like her, act like her… that's not my Lousy! You'll see when you meet her, Princess!”

Celestia looked at Mr. Rich, then back down the hall. Coming to a decision, she began to step forward, trying carefully to make as little noise as possible, each creak in the floor causing Celestia to tense. After what felt like an eon, she found herself before the door, and, with a deep breath, she slowly opened it. 

Candle light spilled in, revealing a peaceful if decadent bedroom. Deliberately looking around the room, Celestia drew closer in, her horn aglow. It seemed to her that the room was entirely empty. She began to turn around when, suddenly, a sound registered to her left, emanating from a side room, and the Princess spun back around to look inside.

Standing there with a foreleg on an open windowsill was the spitting image of Starswirl's sketch. Celestia locked with the changeling’s bright, emerald eyes which contrasted with her dark, glistening coat. Her voice was rough, textured like bark, yet subtly feminine.

“Ah, yes, I've been expecting you. The crown has a miserable response time, miss…?”

“Princess Celestia. Are you Queen Diptera?” Celestia spoke firmly, eyeing the spindly form before her.

The unnamed changeling threw her head back in a hearty laugh and dropped her leg to the floor with a bang.

“Please! Don't compare me to that weakling.”

Celestia stepped back, taking a defensive stance and priming Starswirl's book.

“Then who are you? Where is Mrs. Rich?”

The changeling’s mouth curled into a smile, and she haughtily tossed her bangs aside.

“I feel like we're going to be seeing a lot of each other, princess.” The changeling taunted, slowly leaning against the window behind her. Before Celestia could realize what was happening, the changeling had already fallen back-first out of the window, tumbling end over end.

“W-wait!” Celestia stuttered, scrambling to try and catch her. The full weight of Celestia's body slammed into the wall as she frantically looked out over the ledge. She was greeted by the flash of a green pillar of light, completely filling her vision and blinding her for a moment. In dismay, she reared back into the house. 

After blinking her eyes and shaking her head, Celestia's vision returned to her, and she looked back out. Peering all up and down the estate, Celestia could not find anything; alas, the changeling had already disappeared.

Furrowing her brow, the Princess momentarily weighed her options. She could stay back, she could request help… there were a wealth of options but a pittance of time to decide. Luckily, none of those decisions had mattered; Celestia had already come to one. Stepping up onto the windowsill, she leapt out and spread out her majestic wings to give chase.

_There's no use in running. I'm going to catch you, whoever you are, and I'm going to make you pay._

And then, in the blink of an eye, several years had passed. 

* * *

She kept replaying that same moment in her mind.

The din of silverware and cutlery could be heard emanating from the restaurant behind her. Looking out the back, shaded by cloth hung between the buildings, all she could see was garbage cans and two unicorn waitresses that must have been on break.

“Did you happen to see anypony running through here?” She inquired between breaths. “Any at all?”

The larger, older unicorn swept her bangs aside.

“Does it look like we get much traffic back here?”

“I see. Thank you!”

She turned around to continue chase, but before she could step back inside an idea crossed her mind. Without moving, she hazarded a guess.

“That's you, isn't it?”

Looking back, there sat the changeling queen herself accompanied by one of her soldiers. Queen Chrysalis had been cornered, quite literally, and was seconds away from finally being taking in.

“Hmph… you're smarter than I gave you credit for... princess.”

The Princess began to step forward and gloat.

“To be fair, I got you good. The only way out is through me, and I-”

As the royal mares carefully inched towards each other, Celestia looked into Chrysalis’ emerald green eyes and a chill ran through her body, stopping her dead in her tracks. Taken out of the moment, she noticed Chrysalis had quietly placed herself between Celestia and the other changeling. 

The Princess was so close, but just then… something about that caused her to hesitate, and Chrysalis immediately took advantage, and everything was green for a moment, and-

“Princess Celestia?”

And like that, Celestia had snapped back to reality, and her mind traveled years back to the present. 

“Yes. I am here.” Celestia said, emptying her mind of the thoughts that had been distracting her. “Now, where was I?”

“Uh, you know…” the guard said a little nervously, pointing vaguely at the sun overhead.

“Of course! Of course.”

It was another late evening in Equestria, and soon the Princess would be performing her duties in lowering the sun and raising the moon, as she had already done hundreds of thousands of times before. She was on her way to the balcony when something distracted her for a moment, leading her mind to wander. But now she was back, ready as ever, and she continued finally to her position.

Closing her eyes, she focused her mind now on the sun, and she imagined touching the top of it with her horn and slowly pushing it down towards the horizon; and as easily as pushing a ball of yarn, the sun answered her command and slowly began moving. As mundane as it was, it always felt comfortable, and now more than ever Celestia needed something routine in her life.

She hadn't noticed the second guard entering the room and moving over to the first to whisper into his ear. The first guard looked back and forth, kind of apprehensive of what he should do next. Just as the sun approached the edge of vision and the sky turned red, he approached the princess and spoke up.

“Excuse me, Princess… I hate to interrupt you again, b-but you're the only one that knows anything about changelings…”

Stopping in her tracks, the sun stopping as well, she turned around.

“Go ahead, son. What's the situation?”


	2. Dusk & Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've returned, all as foretold! Now it's time to really start the story. It's a bit more of a heftier chapter this week, so dig right in. Please enjoy my gay horse drama.

The ball of light in the sky, it's descent interrupted, was frozen along the horizon, the sky a shade of crimson as it hung over what was once a lush, green foothill now turned a muted gray by the unnatural dusk. A few early-to-rise fireflies had already begun to buzz about, their tiny lime lights contrasting against the evening sky. 

The weary, strange calm was broken by the sound of explosions echoing through the mountains, small and abrupt, ringing from a nearby settlement nestled between the trees and stone. Slowly, the sound began to move along the landscape, drawing ever closer and throwing the local wildlife into chaos.

Chrysalis was, once again, in a corner, and she couldn't let Celestia know that.

The changeling queen took a hard landing onto the grass, narrowly dodging a lance of magic energy that soared over her head and struck the ground just ahead of her in a cacophonous flash of light; without missing a beat, she swung around and fired a sickly-green beam of her own back at her pursuant.

“Adorable, princess, but you're only playing into my plan!” Chrysalis quipped, just barely hiding the exhaustion in her voice. 

Effortlessly, Celestia ducked under the attack, and replied “From my perspective, I've got you on the run again. How in the world could this be an element in any sane plan, Chrysalis?”

“You are too self confident, princess! Genius rarely appears sane!” Chrysalis said back, quickly turning to run into a nearby thicket of trees, forcing Celestia to land in order to pursue her. And, with a huff, Celestia obliged, landing precisely and following close behind.

She ran between the trees for a time, but after Celestia lost sight of her not once did she see Chrysalis again. Skidding to a halt, Celestia began to scan the darkened thicket, looking all around but failing to make out anything besides the trees. The light hum of birds and other woodland creatures began to wash over her, the darkness of where she stood rolling in like a wave.

This reminded her that Chrysalis had interrupted her lowering of the sun by attacking some random village. What a nuisance. Harmless ponies terrorized, and to top things off the citizens of Equestria must be so concerned! And for what? To feed her brood? Chrysalis was becoming more reckless, more bold, and it-

Just then she heard the snap of a twig beside her, and Celestia spun around to greet whatever it was, her horn aglow and ready to attack.

There stood a badger, frozen in place, its beady black eyes staring into hers.

“Goodness. I apologize, little one. Would you be able to tell me where my friend went?”

The badger had nothing to say. It was a badger, after all.

“Hm. You're no help.”

She turned away, raising her voice to the forest, saying “I don't understand what all of this will solve, Chrysalis! You're disturbing the wild life and you're disturbing Equ-”

Suddenly, a large figure was ramming itself into Celestia's side, knocking her to the ground and causing the two of them to roll several feet. Before she knew it, Celestia had a changeling queen pinning her down.

“You really couldn't tell that that was me, princess?”

“I- I suppose I entertained the thought, for a moment, but- I'm really not sure how to feel about this situati-”

And, once again, Celestia was interrupted mid-thought, this time by a cracking sound registering from beneath both of the mares. It’d finally occurred to them that they'd landed atop some kind of cellar door embedded in the ground, and, as soon as it did, the door gave way and they began to tumble down.

End over end over end, they slid down a chute for what felt like minutes before finally landing in a pile at the bottom with a resounding thud. Chrysalis was the first to untangle herself enough to pop her head back up.

“What in EQUESTRIA was THAT?”

“ _Ugh. Get off me. I'm going to be sore for weeks._ ”

A moment of silence passed, the pair unceremoniously tangled together and trying - poorly - to stand back up. Finally, it occurred to them that they were just in the middle of a fight, and the two of them quickly scrambled to their hooves and into their respective cage corners, entering a battle stance. Incidentally, they were now in a cage, but they were too focused on each other to notice.

Chrysalis attempted to make the first move, motioning to fire a blast, but, curiously, the attack fizzled out. Seeing an opening, Celestia made her own move to attack, but just as with her opponent the power in her horn disappeared. Chrysalis, as a last resort, tried to shape-shift, but still nothing happened.

“What is the MEANING of this?” Chrysalis blustered. 

“Strange. It- W-wait.” Celestia stuttered as she finally realized her voice had deepened. “Why is my… voice...?“

Celestia heard the sound of hooves and looked up to see Chrysalis charging straight at her, furious, and Celestia barely managed to raise her legs up just before they collided with a thud.

“Wait, wait, stop!” Celestia pleaded, struggling to get Chrysalis under control. “Ow! Hey, no biting! What's wrong with you?”

Chrysalis relented long enough to get a sarcastic response in.

“What happened to your voice? Did you land on your _neck_ , princess?”

Celestia coughed and touched her throat.

“Perhaps? It must be because the wind got knocked out of me. But never mind that. We have more pressing matters at hand, Chrysalis, and it's that we're stuck in a trap. Attacking me won't fix that!”

“Hmph.” Chrysalis huffed, looking around the room. “Well, maybe you have a point.”

The pair, finally calmed down, began to absorb their surroundings. Encasing them was a rusty, iron cage inside a deep, underground cave. Somehow, the walls of the cave were perfectly smooth, as if etched with a laser; a large symbol was inscribed upon the farthest wall, a circle with eight spokes enclosing a diamond. The only light source was pouring in through the grating newly covering the hole above them. 

Chrysalis was the first to notice it; outside the cage, behind Celestia, was a massive stone eye resting on a pedestal, pointing directly at them.

“Ew! What is that repulsive thing?”

Celestia, responding to Chrysalis’ disgust, turned around, and then it dawned on her, the last piece of the puzzle sliding into place.

“Oh no.” she gasped. “An anti-magic ray. The etched stone. This is a Beholder trap.”

“A Beholder? Oh, is that it? Well, this is just excellent!” Chrysalis shouted, not missing a moment to begin pacing around the room and fume with anger. “What shall we do now, wait to be eaten by a massive eyeball monster? Oh, maybe he'll be merciful, maybe he'll turn us to stone! The possibilities, princess! The _possibilities_!”

Celestia responded by sitting down, putting a hoof to her chin, and muttering to herself. 

“Iron cage… *cough* locked door… steel grating… no magic… “

Chrysalis, in a frenzy, galloped up to the cage door and gave it the hardest kick she could, but it didn't even budge.

“Are you listening to me? Do you even CARE about the situation I'm in?” Chrysalis said, next getting up in Celestia's face.

“I'm thinking. I'm trying to figure out how to get us out of here. It's easier to think when you take a moment to breathe, Chrysalis.”

“Hmph.” Chrysalis snorted. “How rich. It's also easier to think when you're not GRIPPED WITH HUNGER, missy. And me and my hive have to go hungry because SOMEONE just had to interrupt my diabolical plan. I can already feel my carapace crawling, woe is me!”

A light smirk crossed the princess’ face, noticing an opportunity to go on the offense. “Well. You guys could’ve attracted more flies with honey, you know.”

Chrysalis stopped dead in her tracks.

“... what?”

“Um.” Celestia stuttered, her sureness faltering. “You know. More flies? With honey? Than vinegar? The old adage?”

“I don't follow.”

Celestia's face began to tint red as the awkwardness of the situation sank in. Finally, she looked away and managed to say “Well, maybe I wouldn’t have had to stop you if… Ponies would be more cooperative if you were nicer.”

Chrysalis was taken aback, as if her very existence had just been insulted.

“WELL, princess, what do you think all the shapeshifting and mind control is for? Style? I don't HAVE to be nice.”

“I mean, yes, you've evolved a cute shortcut, but when the curtain invariably falls your response, alarmingly often, is to _kidnap someone_. And then some dashing princess has to take your food source away, so you're still left with nothing! How many times do I have to explain this to you?”

“You must not UNDERSTAND, princess. I care for my hive, and my hive is OWED. We do not GIVE, we TAKE. There is to be no other way.”

At this, Celestia stood up, finding a better hoofhold in the argument. “But why is that? Who made that a law, Chrysalis?”

Chrysalis closed her eyes and turned her back to Celestia with a huff, facing the cage’s locked door, attempting to distance herself as much as possible.

“Exactly. You don't understand.”

“Of course not. I mean, maybe this'll sound conceited, but why do you think I'm so beloved, Chrysalis? Do you think it's because I'm a habitual liar, or is it because I'm so manipulative?”

Chrysalis opened her mouth to contradict Celestia, but words didn't come. She didn't know what to say.

_She's wrong, Chrysalis. Of course she is. Think harder, fool._

As soon as Chrysalis opened her eyes to begin formulating a response, she noticed something; a bend in the bar, near the wall, just wide enough to get a hoof in. And a bit further out, set into the cave wall, was some kind of mechanism.

Biting her tongue, and desperately wanting out of this cage, she spoke up.

“I… ugh. Whatever. I believe I've found something important.”

Celestia perked up.

“W- Oh. Wait, really?”

“Yes. Really. Here! There's a gap we could fit a leg into.” 

Celestia sauntered up to the bars to get a closer look.

“Well I'll be. There is.”

“There is, isn't there? Have some faith in me for once, oh ‘dashing princess’. And what do you make of that mechanism?”

“Oh, hm… oh!” Celestia exclaimed, locking eyes on it. “I’m no expert on Beholder tech, but you'd forgive me for hoping it opens the door to this cell. Do you think you'd be able to reach a leg out there?”

A moment passed.

“Why me?”

“Ah, well, you… you're like 70% leg. Pardon me for assuming you'd volunteer. You're very spindly, I'm mostly bulk, so I thought...”

“Oh, no. No, that… makes a measure of sense. Funny. I'm used to having my subjects do my bidding.”

And so she bid, Chrysalis climbing down onto her chest, and she was correct; her leg slipped cleanly between the bars, and she slid her body through as far as it could possibly go. However, it was still not enough, her hoof just barely missing the contraption by a hair.

“Ugh! You can't be serious. I'm right there, but I… hmph! I can't reach it. Could you, oh… I don't know. Make yourself useful and push me!”

“Oh. Gosh, are you sure?”

“STOP UNDERMINING MY AUTHORITY AND DO IT.”

Celestia eyed the queen over, looking for a good spot that wasn't so close to her… behind. Eventually, the princess settled on her midsection, just below her shoulders, giving the hardiest push she could without feeling weird about it. Celestia realized far too late that this would ultimately result in her giving Chrysalis a full-on hug.

She was warmer than she expected her to be.

“Almost there… almost there… got it!” Chrysalis said, as she finally gave the device a resounding smack. There was an immediate response, as the sounds of gears and stone grinding could be heard.

“What was that? Was that the door?” Chrysalis said, struggling to pull herself back out of the bars.

Celestia, after taking a second to help Chrysalis get unstuck, turned to the door only to see it still tightly shut.

“No, that sounded like…”

Celestia stopped in her tracks as she realized her voice was back to normal.

“Oh! Thank goodness…” she sighed, a wave of relief washing over her. That wave was quickly followed by a realization, and she turned to see the anti-magic ray had closed its eye and deactivated. “It was the ray shutting off! We can use our magic again!”

As the princess spoke, Chrysalis had finally gotten back up onto her hooves.

“Ha ha! Just as well! That is the opening of its own door.”

“Precisely, Chrysalis. In fact…” Celestia mused, walking up to the cage door. “We've already got a plan, I think.”

“Do we now?” Chrysalis replied, an intrigued lilt in her voice as she followed close behind.

“Yes, first I must simply…” Celestia said as she began magically working on the lock. “Unlock this door. Success! Who uses tumbler locks these days?”

“Unlock the door? The chute is right there. Working through this Beholder's dungeon would be wasteful at best and suicidal at worst.”

“You're right.” Celestia turned to Chrysalis, a wry smile painted on her royal face. “You're very right. I simply thought we should... repay our gracious host.”

At that, the stone eye snapped off its pedestal and levitated into the air, priming itself next to the princess. Finally realizing what Celestia was implying, an impressed smirk formed on Chrysalis’ face.

“My, my princess. I hadn't realized you had such… destructive tendencies.”

“I have my moods.” Celestia smiled, presenting the eye to Chrysalis. “Care to give me a hoof?”

For a moment, Chrysalis grew distinctly aware of what Celestia was up to, and she hesitated. But after looking at the eye, and then back at Celestia, that awareness faded away and she finally nodded.

“ _Gladly._ ”

Lime green was added to the golden aura surrounding the eye until both shades encompassed it in equal measure. And then, on the count of three, the anti-magical ray generator flew straight upwards with the combined force of two royal mares, slamming with a violent crunch into the grating above and exploding into a shower of rubble. Rocks and pebbles clattered and bounced off the walls as the pummeled grating fell loose and clanged onto the cage floor, free.

“Ha! That is…” Chrysalis halted as she looked at the hole in the ceiling. At freedom. “...much better.”

“Whew! Tell me about it!” Celestia celebrated. She turned to look at her accomplice, hoping she'd join her excitement, but all she saw in Chrysalis’ eyes was confliction. “Hm? What's the matter, Chrysalis?”

Chrysalis’ gaze darted from Celestia to the hole, back and forth. Moments passed until, suddenly, Chrysalis magically shoved Celestia against the wall and desperately bolted upwards, leaving her cellmate far behind and heading towards sweet freedom. 

“Thanks for the help, princess, but I must be going!” Chrysalis grinned, sure she had escaped capture, sure she had gotten away without a scratch. It was as if this little detour had never happened at all.

For a moment, Celestia's mind was reeling, and she was unsure of what had just happened. As she recovered from her daze, she immediately shot into the air to give chase. Celestia soared through the chute, overtaken by a feeling she wasn't sure she could place. Upon returning to the surface, looking down at the trees below, she muttered.

“Weren't we getting along?”


	3. Catch & Release

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! Now you'll notice a certain comic character show up in this chapter, so I'll outline this now: there are things I'm a big fan of in the comics, and there are things I'm not a big fan of in the comics. This character is something I'm a big fan of. So now that that's cleared up, Please Enjoy

“Are you still awake, your majesty?”

A few days had passed since the Beholder incident. It was dark out now, and the huge, glowing moon was placed perfectly in the sky. Celestia, however, was up far too late in her study reviewing everything she had on the events of the previous days, and it was greatly troubling her advisor.

“I'm getting somewhere with Chrysalis, Kibitz. I'm not even sure WHERE that somewhere is taking me, but I just can't… keep letting her go. I'm coming up with my next move tonight and you're not going to move _me_ an inch until then.”

Kibitz moved up to Celestia's side and put his hoof down on her desk.

“While yes, I agree, you need to stop underestimating her and finally catch that despicable mare, I cannot agree to _this_ , ma’am. The Summer Sun Celebration is coming up, and this whole business is affecting your ability to properly prepare for it!”

Celestia fell in a slump onto her papers.

“Goodness, don't remind me of the Celebration, Kibitz.” Celestia groaned, looking up at him. “Fine. I'll start wrapping up for the night.”

With a weary smile, he patted her on the back.

“Excellent decision, your radiance. I shall see you bright and early tomorrow morning for your meeting with the Mayor of Ponyville.”

He picked up a tray and cleaned up what he could from Celestia's space and finally sauntered off, plate of refuse in tow. For a moment, he looked back to watch the exhausted princess. Eventually, he shook his head and closed the door.

Obviously, Celestia was lying. As soon as she heard the door close, she peeked to see if the coast was clear and got right back to work. She still had _plenty_ of energy for obsessing.

The papers in front of Celestia floated up, slowly organizing themselves against the walls of the room.

“Our first encounter in the estate of Mr. Rich, our showdown at Manehattan, that unspeakably awkward encounter in Everfree... the uh, one time I cornered her behind that restaurant…” Celestia sleepily mused aloud as the sorting continued. “So many of these! And now this event as well, in that cage.”

_Ugh, have I been doing the right thing? Maybe you should have just been another villain that I threw into Tartarus a long time ago. But I keep letting you outrun me because of this confounding sense of… what would I call it? Sympathy? No, not exactly that. Hmm._

Celestia wearily wheeled around to look at the paper detailing the events of the other day down in the Beholder’s cage.

_But maybe… this vindicates me? We were able to set aside our differences to escape a common foe. Chrysalis and I had been getting along, even. That's pretty big! I mean, I certainly felt a… sense of camaraderie between us. There was just something going on there, no doubt about it. And that means a truce is definitely… ugh, that's not definitive enough!_

With a loud groan, Celestia dropped her head back onto her desk and the papers around the room fluttered noisily to the floor.

“Maybe I _don't_ have the energy for this tonight. Why can't I stop obsessing over her, sister? It feels like there's something I'm missing.” Celestia looked up to the moon and wondered aloud, her eyelids heavy. “Oh, I wish you could give me some of your classic sisterly advice. Is the brightness level meant to mock me? I feel like you're laughing at me right now, L-”

And the Princess fell asleep.

* * *

The day was young, the skies clear, and as Celestia flew gracefully over Ponyville, she attempted to shake all thoughts of Chrysalis out of her mind.

_Not today, Celestia. You need to be the cool, reliable Princess right now. For your subjects._

Landing lightly next to the mayor's office, Celestia quickly found the mare herself laboriously pushing a sizable cardboard box inside.

“Mayor! Fancy meeting you here.”

The Mayor spun around in response to Celestia's voice.

“Ah, yes, what are the odds? Please, follow me, princess.” She replied, nonchalantly, as she struggled with her cargo. Mercifully, Celestia levitated the box into the air.

“Let me, uh… help with that.”

After a short trip through the office, the box ended its journey in records, landing gently with a thump.

“How kind of you, princess! I was really going to bust my back on that thing.”

“Of course. I imagine this has something to do with you summoning me here?”

The Mayor leaned blankly on the box before snapping back to reality.

“Yes!” She spouted, adjusting her glasses and running to the other side of the box. “I was so caught up moving this dang box I'd nearly forgotten… word is Chrysalis has been giving you trouble and I wanted to help!”

Celestia, intrigued, raised an eyebrow.

“Really?”

_I don't remember telling anypony about… no, we aren’t stressing about Chrysalis today, Celestia! Kibitz can talk to ponies who aren't you!_

The Mayor had already torn the box open and was vigorously digging through its contents, tossing out books and pencil boxes and other such junk before finally locating her quarry. Sharply pulling her face out of the box, she returned with an old key resting on her hoof.

“Indeed! Have you heard of an artifact called the Shaping Stone?”

“Shaping Stone? No, I can't say I have.”

“Well, I wouldn't blame you, princess.” The Mayor spoke as she pushed a stool up to the cabinets and climbed atop. “I'd only just recently realized I had it. I've been told it has transmutational properties.”

_… Either there's something fishy going on or Starswirl left The Philosopher's Stone here. I'm not sure which alternative I would prefer._

“You don't say.” Celestia responded, feigning ignorance. “And what do you mean by that?”

Unlocking the drawer in front of her and swinging it open, the mayor turned back to Celestia and smiled.

“Why don't you see for yourself?”

Astonished, Celestia laid her eyes upon a beat up lockbox and key resting inside.

_By Starswirl's beard. She does have it, doesn't she?_

Eagerly, Celestia walked up to the cabinet, levitating the key and the box into the air. She unlocked it and revealed the object inside with a single stroke. There Celestia looked upon a perfect gold amulet in the shape of a crescent, and at its bottom was attached a small, emerald gemstone in the shape of a teardrop.

“I don't- how is this possible? Why is it set in this-”

As Celestia marveled, the box suddenly began to glow green, the color shooting up through Celestia's trail of magic and completely enveloping her. 

Before noticing what had happened, she noticed she could no longer move.

“Wh-what!? What is the meaning of- of this, Mayor!?” Celestia stuttered, barely managing to move her jaw, trying to look up to face the Mayor. But she was no longer next to the cabinets.

Celestia heard a familiar, quite aggravating laugh originating from behind her.

“You’ve gotten worse at recognizing when it's me... _princess_.”

“Chrysalis! Have you been… following me?”

Celestia could hear the sound of Chrysalis’ hooves walking slowly across the old, wooden floor towards her, the boards creaking with every step. Celestia strained her eyes to look at Chrysalis, but she couldn't manage it.

“Don't flatter yourself, princess. Let's say I… _volunteered_ you to absorb that paralysis spell. For the good of my hive.” Chrysalis gloated, running a hoof lightly across Celestia's side, sending a chill through the princess’ body. “Truly, I'm quite grateful for your cooperation. You're a sweetheart.”

“Ugh- gh- you can't keep getting away with this, Chrysalis!” Celestia growled through a locked jaw, tensing every muscle in her body trying to move or cast a spell or… anything.

“Oh, I believe I already have,” Chrysalis said, leaning in to talk directly into Celestia's ear, “and I believe we can agree that _I'm_ the know-it-all this time, sweetie.”

“What are you talking about?”

Chrysalis grinned as she finally turned to face Celestia, her horn glowing green.

“I'm talking about what I'm about to do to y-” 

Chrysalis began to speak, but stopped dead in her tracks as soon as she looked Celestia in the eyes.

Chrysalis had been waiting for this, had dreamed of finally being able to see Celestia squirm; when Chrysalis would have the upper hand, and when Celestia would have to concede that she was wrong. But in this moment, all Chrysalis could see in Celestia's eyes was not anger, not contempt, not sorrow, but determination. Despite the troubling situation she was in, Celestia's confidence had not wavered an inch.

“Well? What are you going to do, Chrysalis? Destroy me? I'm waiting, then. Destroy me, Chrysalis.”

It was like looking into the sun.

Chrysalis’ eyes began to dart around the room, searching for something else to look at. Finally, she settled on closing them.

“Don't… you… you will stop saying my name. Stop saying it like that.” 

Celestia raised an eyebrow in intrigue.

“Are you having some second thoughts…” Celestia said, languishing on the pause between words.

”Chrysalis?”

Chrysalis’ face turned a shade of lime green as it curled into a snarl, and the Shaping Stone levitated into the air. 

“Of course not! Are you trying to provoke me? Do you have no respect for your life?”

“It's got nothing to do with that, Chrysalis. I'm just thinking... maybe you're capable of remorse after all.”

“Enough! It's really quite simple, you fool! I've…” Chrysalis paused, looking for something to say. “Decided that... releasing you like _this_ is punishment enough! You think this is… _remorse_? Please, how small of you. I've already gotten what I wanted and I've even gotten my dearest wish to have the upper hand on you… _as a bonus_.”

“You expect me to believe that? You- wait- what? Where are you going?”

Chrysalis had hurriedly walked around Celestia, back to where she couldn't see her. Celestia could hear her shuffling back and forth, thinking of what to do next. Chrysalis began walking out of the room, Shaping Stone in hoof, without looking back at Celestia or even honoring her with a response. As Chrysalis closed the door behind her, she turned around for one last remark. 

“Enjoy the peace and quiet, princess, for it seems that this is the fate you wish for.”

“Hold on, no! You're not getting away that easily! Get back here right-”

And the room went dark.


	4. Friends & Enemies

“Are you following, Princess?”

Celestia jolted awake to see Kibitz standing before her, a retinue of guards beside him. Somehow, she had found herself in one of the royal halls.

“Tut tut! I've been letting you sleep through things here and there this past week, but I won't allow you to miss this part of the schedule.”

“You have my attention, Kibitz! Can you, uh… remind me what ‘this’ is?” Celestia spoke with a yawn.

Kibitz shook his head, presenting his clipboard and tapping at a hastily written-in sentence a few lines down from the top.

“Well, to your credit, it was a bit of a last-minute add. A certain someone was passing through Equestria today and wished to see you. Please try to remember this the next time I'm nagging you.”

The double doors behind Kibitz opened as he stepped aside, revealing the dining hall and a particular purple-pink alicorn sitting at the table.

“Cadance!” Celestia perked up, rushing to give her niece a hug. Cadance struggled to get a word out from under the giant alicorn.

“Celestia! I'm happy to see you t- oof! Hi! I was in town, and I was thinking it had been a while, so I-”

“I know! Kibitz explained everything to me. Come in, come in.” As Celestia shepherded her niece into the hall, she turned to her guard assignment. “You guys don't have to watch us. Go find something fun to do for an hour.”

And she closed the double doors on them.

* * *

“Heirloom of our family, pilfered by Vidok the Glib, claimed by a pony hero, then lost to the many generations... and at long last, I have succeeded in what my successor could not, and returned the Shaping Stone to our hive.”

The bright green gem pressed into an indentation in the back of her obsidian throne, and Chrysalis looked upon her prize with self-satisfaction. Everything had gone beautifully, for all intents and purposes; this was a victory hard-won and well deserved. And yet, as she looked on, her pride gave way to a sour sensation, and her smile melted into a displeased frown.

_No… none of this is right… none of this is RIGHT!_

With a vicious stomp and an angry growl, the table beside her shattered into pieces, causing the changeling soldier in the room with her to recoil.

“My Queen! Is there a problem? The mission was a resounding success-”

As the soldier spoke, Chrysalis spun around and thundered towards him.

“A SUCCESS? Stinger, this trinket WASN'T THE POINT. Is the return of this relic good for the hive? Yes, and that pleases me! But there was a far GREATER threat I've failed to neutralize.”

General Stinger tried to maintain a brave face, but found himself trembling as Chrysalis pushed toward him more and more.

“U-understood, my Queen. Then what may that be, if I may ask?”

Chrysalis reared up and looked down at him as she sneered. After a few moments of agonizing silence, she responded.

“I will be leaving. Do not follow me.”

And with that, Chrysalis disappeared in an eruption of green flame, leaving behind a blackened mark and a quite rattled changeling General alongside it.

* * *

“Wow, she… really did that?”

“She did! Chrysalis had me right where she wanted me, and I said a few things to try and get inside her head, and she just… left. I'm lucky the real Mayor arrived eventually but the hour before she did was terrible!”

“Aw, how awful! I mean, that doesn't sound like Chrysalis, but you can be pretty intimidating when you want to be, Celestia…”

“Oh, really? And I thought I was finally getting through to her…”

Cadance laughed. “Well, it could’ve been both things...” She trailed off as she looked at the clock and jumped. “Oh no! When did that happen? Ah, wait, before I go there's something I've got to tell you!”

Celestia straightened her back and leaned in eagerly.

“Oh oh! Do tell!”

Cadance pranced up to the nearby window, bouncing between leaving and staying.

“Ahhh! Okay!” She shook her head, psyching herself up. “Me and the girls have been talking and… and we're pretty sure Shining Armor is going to propose soon!”

Celestia exclaimed and rushed to bury Cadance under another hug.

“How exciting, Cadance! I hope you're right!

“Thank you, Celestia, thank you! Me too! Now it's been fun catching up, but I really gotta-”

“I understand!” Celestia interrupted, mercifully letting her niece go. “Princess stuff! Tell that Shining Armor I said hello.”

Cadance’s stance relaxed and she readied herself for flight.

“Thanks, Celestia! You're the best! Good luck with the Celebration next month!” 

And she left through the window.

For a moment, Celestia simply stood there, savoring a moment of peace that she hadn't had a lot of this past couple weeks. There was a cool breeze coming in through the window, and she could hear birds in the distance. But the momentary relaxation was interrupted as Cadance's words returned to her.

_Am I… really intimidating? No, that's ridiculous. Well, okay, I'm sure I intimidate some ponies but Chrysalis is certainly not one of them. I'm not wholly certain she is even capable of fear._

_Hmm._

Celestia turned away from the window, unable to shake the thought.

“Fine. It can't hurt to try and be a little more amicable. You never know!” She began, moving to leave the hall. “But how would you… contact a changeling queen? I don't think she has a mailbox, nor a dragon to receive messages… and I don't think Philomena would like it if I tried to get her to carry a letter to the hive.”

Troubled, Celestia paused at the double doors.

_I've orchestrated a dozen peace treaties. How hard could this one be?_

* * *

The sound of buzzing oppressed the senses, accented by the muggy weather and shade afforded by the many short trees dotting the murky waters. A frog resting on the banks jumped in as a figure approached from between the foliage.

Chrysalis remembered what her mother had told her about this swamp. Her predecessor had always claimed their race began here, given form by a carnivorous plant. Chrysalis was old enough now to know better, but she still couldn't help but have fond memories of this place.

Unfortunately, not even this bog could calm her right now. Staring into the reflection on the water, listening to the hum of insects, she couldn't help but fume.

_That smug little alicorn thinks she's so important. That look in her eyes… what I wouldn't GIVE to get that out of my head. And how she acts like she knows everything? Infuriating!_

_And the way she talks about me…_

Chrysalis shook her head and thrashed at the pool of fetid water before her, turning away from her reflection.

_You've met so many like her before. You can't let her get inside your head. Because the moment she does..._

Just then, Chrysalis was struck by a wave of clarity, the shroud of doubt surrounding her dissolving. She straightened her back and looked at the sky, smiling.

_Ha! Of COURSE! I see what's happening here, now. If that princess thinks she can just walk all over ME and MY HIVE, if she thinks she can just dismantle EVERYTHING I've built without me noticing, then… I'LL show her! I'll put HER in HER PLACE!_

At that, she ran away from the pond, eventually taking flight and disappearing over the horizon.

* * *

Notarized, perfectly blocked, no smudged lines, checked and double-checked…

_Well, maybe this is over doing it for a first draft. But it will help me when I finish up another draft._

The letter hovered closely to her face as she carefully scrutinized every inch of the page. She began to frown.

_This will need another draft._

But what should be changed next? Silence hung in the air as she tried to decide where to start. 

The issue was that none of this was salvageable. The introduction was unexciting, the ending trailed into nowhere, and her reasoning was full of holes. Papers and pens were shoved aside as Celestia groaned.

“Ridiculous. In what world would this even work when nothing else has? I'm not going to miss a group meeting over th-”

Then, as if timed purposefully, what sounded like an explosion came from behind Celestia and enveloped her in a sickly-green aura, picking her up and slamming her harshly against the wall with a resounding thud.

“Going somewhere?”

When Celestia opened her eyes, she saw Chrysalis charging towards her, relentless. Just before she could make contact, a wave of energy erupted out from Celestia, freeing herself and throwing Chrysalis and everything else in the room back several feet.

Celestia responded to Chrysalis’ attack in kind, picking her up with a golden aura and pinning her against another wall. 

“The one time _you_ get _me_ into a corner, you let me go. And now, despite _knowing_ you can't beat me in a fair fight, you charge me in an open space! What have you been _thinking_ , Chrysalis?”

“Why won't you leave me ALONE?” Chrysalis growled, spitting venom and thrashing under her restraints.

“Me? Leave _you_ alone?” Celestia said, incredulous, getting close to Chrysalis’ face. “I know you can be delusional, Chrysalis, but honestly! I'm going to need some hints here because, considering the circumstances, it should be _me_ asking that question!”

“I don't have to explain ANYTHING to you! The moment I escape these restraints, I'll…”

“You’ll _what_?”

“YOU…” Chrysalis growled, her face turning green with emotion. Slowly, her thrashing ceased. “Why… why do you keep trying to CONTROL ME? Is that what you want? Do you want to BREAK ME? Has THIS been your goal all along?”

At this, Celestia’s momentum was interrupted, and her eyes shifted around as she tried to process what Chrysalis was saying.

“What? That's not… I'm not trying to break you, Chrysalis. I only wanted... to...”

Celestia trailed off as she noticed that something again; the glassiness building up in Chrysalis’ frustrated eyes, the exhausted rise and fall of her chest. Gears began to turn in her mind; thoughts of restaurants, trees, restless nights, and talks with nieces. Celestia quietly released Chrysalis, placing her on the ground in a ball.

“Oh. I _am_ scaring you. All I'm doing is… scaring you.”

Chrysalis sat paralyzed for a moment, then looked up at Celestia as her anger gave way to confusion and the Princess kneeled down to her level.

“Wh- what are you doing?” Chrysalis stuttered, her resolve placed off kilter.

Celestia took a deep breath. She began to levitate the pens and papers and other things that had been knocked down to the ground next to them. She folded the letter she had written up, placed it inside an envelope, closed it with the royal wax seal, and presented it to Chrysalis in a single fluid motion. 

“Chrysalis, we're going in circles. We have been for years. So I'm not going to fight you anymore. I'm placing the power in your hooves to make the same decision.”

“You really think I'm going to fall for-” Chrysalis paused as she looked at the letter and then in Celestia’s soft eyes. “You really think I'm going to fall for a… a _truce_.”

“Is it really impossible that I’m not trying to trick you?” Celestia asked, an eyebrow raised. “Maybe I've been trying to do this the whole time. Maybe we only meet when you're trying to kill me.”

Chrysalis struggled with herself for a moment, as if she was trying to explain an already very basic concept in even simpler terms.

“Y-yes? It _is_ impossible. The strong must _crush_ the weak. You've bested me, so why should you show me such a mercy, then? It would be... completely foolish, and militaristically incorrect.” Chrysalis laughed nervously. “You say I don't make any sense but then you keep… you keep…”

Celestia shuffled a little uncomfortably, as if she'd just realized she’d been doing something strange.

“That’s… not correct, Chrysalis. The strong must take it upon themselves to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Yes, I concede that I _am_ taking a huge risk right now. But it's because, when I look into your eyes, when I really _think_ about your behavior, I see… somepony who's hurting, Chrysalis. Somepony who's trying to be strong but can't. And you're certainly not acting contrary to that hunch right now.”

There was silence for a moment as Celestia waited for a response, watching as Chrysalis’ breathing became more stressed and her eyes began to glisten. Eventually, it became clear that she was becoming unresponsive.

_Hm. I think this approach is a dead end. Cut to the chase, Celestia._

Looking down and to the side, she gathered up what she wanted to say, carefully trying to cut as much flowery or unclear language as she could. She only spoke once she was at least half-certain her words couldn't be misinterpreted.

“I… understand if I'm probing too personally, and that's okay. We don't have to talk about… that right now. But I want you to understand that I know you're only trying to take care of your hive, and I've been extremely dismissive of that fact, and I just want to help now. I believe that if we work together, then there's a better way t-”

And this struck a nerve, causing Chrysalis to stand up and snatch the letter away from Celestia.

“Why are you being so _NICE_ to me? What have I EVER done to make you think me OR my hive deserves your PITY?”

Celestia quickly got to her feet and instinctively stepped back.

“This isn't about pity, Chrysalis, I promise! It's about the fact that we're… we're…” At last, the cogs in Celestia's mind began to twist into place. “The same! That's what I'm getting at, that we’re the same and we're both just trying to protect our own people! And I REFUSE to believe that that means we must be enemies, that that means we can't be…”

There was a pause as Celestia struggled for words. Chrysalis scoffed.

“You’re… you're serious. You're... really trying to befriend me.”

Celestia sighed, her motivations finally laid bare to the both of them.

“I suppose… I am, yes. I fully understand if you need time to warm up to the idea, Chrysalis. It's taken time for me as well. But I believe you should. You can.”

Chrysalis felt something stir within her as Celestia continued to speak, but before she could decipher the feeling, the royal pair froze as the creak of a door opening echoed throughout the room. Turning, paralyzed, they watched as a single guard stepped in.

“Y-your radiance? Is there- oh, no!”

As the guard realized who Celestia was speaking to, she locked eyes with Chrysalis and mouthed one word.

Please.

Panicked, Chrysalis looked away, and with a flash of green flame took the form of a bird, darting out a window.

Unsure of what to do, the guard began running up to Celestia.

“Oh no! Oh no! Sh-shall I raise the alarm, your highness?”

Fiercely, Celestia looked into his eyes.

“ _We do nothing. You will let her go_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real happy with this one, folks. Real, real happy. I hope you enjoyed the closing out of Act 1 - Stop Trying To Kill Me And Be My Best Friend. Look out for Act 2, because boy... it's a doozy. Have a gay one.


	5. Breaking & Entering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You want your content? I got your content right here. Tons of the stuff, even. By the by, have you ever tried espionage? Tricky work, that. You always fall in love. Wouldn't recommend it. Oh, yeah, my last semester of college just started, so if I miss an update or two, I haven't been whacked, I've probably just got homework to do. Anyway. Hope you like the content. You never saw me here.

There was a sense of tension in the air. The castles of Canterlot were abuzz, guards and attendants and nobility pacing the halls, tying down plans and preparing for the festivities to come. It was the month of the summer solstice, and it was the perfect time to move unnoticed.

And in a particular corner of the grounds, along a particular corridor of the halls, was a particular changeling Queen having a conversation with a very specific guard.

“You're such a hard worker. Don't you think you deserve a day off?” Chrysalis crooned, her glowing emerald eyes enthralling her subject. “We don't want you... _overworking_ yourself.”

The guard spoke in a faltering tone as if he were half asleep, or perhaps being charmed.

“Y… yeah. Yeah, man, y'know… the Princess will understand, right?”

“Oh, of course. I'm very good friends with her. I'll send your message along. Now get some rest, dear.”

At that, the guard wobbled off and Chrysalis quickly took his form, turning around the corner towards the opposite direction. There she saw Celestia's advisor, Kibitz.

As she approached, Kibitz's ear twitched and he turned to sternly look at her.

“ _There_ you are. And where have YOU been?”

“I was, uh…” Chrysalis ran through her list of typical excuses. “Held up. Slowed down by an unruly civilian.”

“Yes, yes. No matter.” Kibitz had returned to reviewing his schedule, nodding to give the impression that he was listening. He looked back up. “Now listen here, _boy_. You may not be aware, but this is a time that is quite difficult for the Princess. And it is for that reason I task you with a very important mission; you shall be her shadow, and you shall ensure no one troubles her. Understood?”

Chrysalis nodded and saluted Kibitz.

“Yes, sir! Understood, sir!”

_Funny._

“ _Good._ Don't disappoint me.”

And with that, Kibitz busily left down the hall. The moment Kibitz disappeared from sight, Chrysalis turned to the bedroom door with a wicked smile.

She carefully stepped inside, entering the room and quietly closing the door behind her. Surprisingly, there was little else here than a bed, in which lay Celestia herself.

Sure she was in the clear, Chrysalis returned to her true form, the explosive noise of flame filling the room. Celestia awoke, rolling over to see whatever had the _nerve_ to put up such a ruckus during her rest, only to be greeted by Chrysalis standing a foot away from her bed. She fought the impulse to recoil in shock.

“Oh. Um. Hello. 6 days now, huh?”

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes.

“Yes. 6 days.”

Celestia sat up in her bed with a groan, slinging her hind legs over the edge.

“I can't have you sneaking around here all the time, Chrysalis. If Kibitz ever catches you, the best case scenario is he’ll think you're mind controlling me. Any word on when you'll be telling me if you accept the truce or not?”

Chrysalis turned her nose up and began marching around the room.

“I've been carefully considering what you had said before we were so… rudely interrupted, princess. These sorts of things can't be rushed into. However,” Chrysalis looked back down at Celestia. “I have decided… if you intend to broker peace, then I believe it would be beneficial for us both were I to… agree.”

At this, Celestia shot up out of bed.

“Wait, really?”

_Oh, sweetheart, you're taking this at face value? And here I was thinking we were intellectual equ-_

Chrysalis paused mid-thought as Celestia began giddily hopping around the room and squealing with excitement.

_I'm having my regrets._

Celestia went in for a hug, but Chrysalis put a hoof to her chest and pushed her back.

“Hold your horses, missy! I have a few stipulations to outline first!”

“Oh- uh, of course! And what would those stipulations be?”

Chrysalis closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before continuing.

“First: I want a guarantee that you won't immediately turn around and throw me into Tartarus, or strip me of any power. AND… “ Chrysalis raised her tone as Celestia tried to respond. “Second: nothing goes into writing until I'm… certain of your character.”

Celestia chuckled.

“Haha, what? What does that mean?”

“I, uh… need more time around you. So I can figure out if I should trust you.”

There was a waver in Chrysalis’ voice, which was something that did not escape Celestia. Noticing a vulnerability, she widened her eyes with a feigned shock and went on the offense.

“Ohhh, I see. You’re being waaay too business right now, Chrysalis. If you wanted to hang out, you could've just said that.”

Chrysalis’ face flushed bright green, and she pulled her hoof away from Celestia's chest. 

“No. That's not what I said, Celestia.”

“Kind of sounds like it was.” Celestia grinned mischievously. “And if I'm not mistaken… did you just say my _name_ , Chrysalis?”

True panic set in as Chrysalis realized her fatal error, her pupils shrinking to pinpoints. 

Breaking eye contact, she stuttered, “Um, uh… I don't know, did I?”

“I'm fairly certain you did!” Celestia teased, using a wing to pull Chrysalis into an unwilling hug. “What happened to the ‘snarkily calling me princess’ thing? We're already such great friends!”

“One of my hearts are going to fail before this is over. I'm certain of it.”

Now certain her attack had succeeded in its mission, she let Chrysalis go.

“Alright, alright, alright. No more. So, what did you have in mind, then?”

Chrysalis pouted and darted her eyes around the room.

“Well, I had… planned... to just follow you around today.”

Exactly what Celestia wanted to hear.

“That's okay!” She said with a grin, bouncily walking across the room. “My schedule is free for a couple hours because I had planned to sulk all morning. So I can show you around the castle!”

Chrysalis reciprocated with a tight-jawed smile.

“Sounds great to me.”

“Great! I'll tell Kibitz that I'll be showing somepony around today, is that okay?”

A chill ran up Chrysalis’ spine.

“Uh…” She hadn't planned for this. “Don't tell him it's me.”

“Oh.” Celestia's smile disappeared. “Yeah, I... think that'd be fine. If you wish to keep up this undercover thing, then please don't let me return to see you in some ostentatious form.”

Then she left the room with a huff.

Chrysalis let go of her breath and immediately got to work checking the drawers and closets and everything in the room on the off-chance there was an important document to find.

_Goodness gracious. I had no idea Celestia was this eccentric. Is all this really worth the information I stand to gain?_

She wasn't sure what the answer was.

It wasn't long until Celestia returned, but the wait was still grueling for both parties. Seconds grew into minutes, and minutes into hours. But despite this, Celestia still paused at the door, hesitant.

_Okay... girl, you're losing her. You gotta break out the ol’ razzle dazzle. Seal the deal. Make the sale._

Taking a breath, she finally stepped in.

“Okay, no one will bother us now! Let's-” Celestia paused as she found Chrysalis sitting on her bed, still untransformed. “Oh. Hm. Well, I didn't mean you shouldn't transform at all.”

“I know that!” Chrysalis protested, standing up. “I'm just not sure… who I’m turning into.”

A bemused smile began to break on Celestia's face and she gently shook her head.

“It's up to you! We don't want anyone recognizing you, so you can choose an appearance of your own design, right?”

“Ha! Do you think I was hatched yesterday?” Chrysalis stood there thinking for a moment. “Hm… Lots of black... Some green... I suppose I'd want to look like myself.”

“We could do that! But we'd have to make you more passable...” Celestia mused, walking around Chrysalis. “Change your proportions, flatten your teeth, get rid of the tattered look…”

“And what's wrong with all that? I think it's a great look. Really intimidating.”

“Yes, it is, but they're all dead giveaways. Believe me, I get this sort of stuff. But we can make you look intimidating while also looking like a _pony_.”

Chrysalis stuck her tongue out in distaste of the notion.

“Ugh. Is it too late to back out of this?”

“It sure is. Get to transforming-”

With a begrudging groan and flash of light, Chrysalis was replaced by a severe black unicorn that, though shorter than her previous form, was still a bit on the taller side. She wore a verdant turtleneck and big, round glasses over her turquoise eyes that matched the color of her short mane. If you didn't know better you might say she bore a resemblance to a certain changeling queen.

“Happy?”

“Goodness!” Celestia exclaimed, surprised by the sudden transformation. “I'd say that's pretty good! I didn't know you could do clothes!”

Chrysalis swept her bangs aside with a haughty huff.

“What do you take me for, a charlatan? Of course it's good, and of course I can do _clothes_. I was going for a sort of... scary librarian look.”

“Well I say you pull it off with aplomb, Chrysalis.” Celestia said, bearing a gentle smile.

Chrysalis caught eye contact with Celestia and felt the small twinge of a genuine smile appearing on her own face, which she immediately began burying under a devious smirk. Celestia spared Chrysalis the tension as an idea came to her.

“Ah, speaking of libraries! We have one very close to here. Let's start there, shall we?”

“Let's! Please!” Chrysalis spoke, perhaps a little too eagerly.

The path was a little longer than Celestia implied. Twists, turns, and a couple flights of stairs, among other things. On the way there, they began a laborious argument on what Chrysalis’ undercover name should be. Elytra, Hedylidae, Ocellus, Frenulum… there was no end in sight to the onslaught of terrible names.

“You like _Rhipheus_? What’s wrong with Hedylidae? It's a fascinating breed of insect.”

“We need something that sounds even _remotely_ like a pony name, Chrysalis. You're lucky I'm letting you go with a name connected to bugs at all, you know.”

“ _Fine_. I'm going to name someone Heddy just to spite you.” Chrysalis growled.

Celestia laughed as they arrived at their destination.

“Sounds great to me! We're here, so I'm glad we could come to an agreement after all.”

The royal library was, to put it lightly, completely massive. The many bookcases towered straight into the air for multiple stories, and the main area was filled with dozens of tables. Entering the building, Chrysalis’ mind began to reel as she realized the vast volume of information she could stand to extract from here if she only had the time. Celestia turned to look at Chrysalis and noticed her paralysis.

“Ah, yes, that's a common reaction.”

“It's just… this is the most books I've seen in one place in a long t-”

The pair was interrupted by the voice of a small, purple unicorn that had materialized from the bookcases beside them, causing both to jump.

“Princess, there you are! Oh- excuse me!” 

Twilight Sparkle had realized a second too late that maybe Celestia was having an important conversation just now. It's probably fine. Celestia and her new friend seem fine. But what if it's not fine? Oh dear.

“Don't worry, Twilight.” Celestia spoke, using a reassuring if surprised tone. “It's lovely seeing you here.”

Celestia raised a foreleg to Chrysalis to present her to Twilight.

“This is, uh, Rhipheus, an extremely good friend of mine. I don't know if the two of you have met yet.”

Celestia gave a strict look to Chrysalis that tried desperately, desperately to plead to her to not screw this up. Chrysalis shot a venomous look back.

“Yes, uh, that's me!” Chrysalis began, turning to look at Twilight wearing a big, fake smile. “You must be Twilight Sparkle! I've heard so much about you from… from… from CeCe here!”

Celestia's eyes slowly widened in terror.

“Wow! The princess talks about me?”

“I sure do!” Celestia said, stepping in front of Chrysalis before she could continue speaking. “How could I not tell her about my _star_ pupil?”

A wide smile began to appear on Twilight's face, brimming with pride.

“I'm so flattered! I kind of can't believe you've never talked to me about Ms. Rhipheus before, Princess! You don't have a lot of friends! I mean, uh- personal friends. Like, a best friend. A very good friend. But it turns out you do!”

Ignoring the implications of that statement, Celestia wrapped a leg around Chrysalis’ neck and pulled her in.

“Ha, yes, well, she has her own… tendency towards awkwardness in social situations, like you.”

“I do. I'm just the worst.”

“So she generally enjoys her own company. And mine as well, of course.” Chrysalis was barely managing not to gag now. “Now, if I may ask. What did you need of us, Twilight?”

Twilight's eyes lit up.

“Oh, yeah! I've been doing some research on these objects called the Elements of Harmony and how they connect to the Mare in the Moon, and-”

Hearing those words again felt like icy daggers in Celestia's chest, catching her off guard and momentarily causing her to shut her eyes tight.

“Stop! Stop. Right there.” To the delight of Chrysalis, Celestia released her. “You simply must stop reading those dusty old books, Twilight. Aren't you supposed to be on break, anyway? You should be doing something fun.”

And just like that, Twilight's heart was broken, her teacher's disapproval stinging.

“But this IS fun for me.” She frowned, dejected, and she wandered away.

There was a moment of silence as Celestia dwelled upon her guilt, trying to bury dug up memories and figuring out how she would make this up to Twilight. Chrysalis was the first to break the tension.

“Well, I hated all of that.”

Celestia sighed.

“What is it with unicorns troubling me today?” She said as she turned around to look at Chrysalis. “CeCe? Really?”

Chrysalis’ face _exploded_ with lime as she was reminded of her misdeeds.

“I PANICKED, okay? It sounded FRIENDLY! I'm not GOOD AT IMPROV!”

Celestia began to giggle.

“Oh, I'm learning so many thrilling things about you today, Rhipheus.”

“I didn't come here to be LECTURED. What happened in my life that led me to _this moment_?”

“If you're going to start yelling, then we should really move away from the library.”

Unfortunately, leaving the library did not mean an end to Chrysalis’ trials. They continued their circuit of the castles of Canterlot, moving from dining halls to kitchens to studies to guest rooms until it all became a sort of blur. Chrysalis was showing signs of exhaustion, something that did not evade Celestia. They stopped at the entrance to an inner courtyard.

“Hmm. This is getting a little repetitive, huh?”

“No, I'm at the edge of my seat to see bedroom #23.” Chrysalis groaned sarcastically. “Of COURSE it is, Celestia!”

“Alright, I hear you. Follow me just a bit more, okay?”

Celestia began to walk through the courtyard entrance, beckoning Chrysalis to follow her. Something within Chrysalis told her to resist, but she found her curiosity piqued. Because of the exhaustion, of course.

She was led to a tree in the center, where Celestia situated herself in a good spot in the shade and plopped down on the grass. This set alarms off in the changeling's mind.

“Celestia...?” She narrowed her eyes. “What are you _doing_?”

Celestia lightheartedly patted the ground next to her.

“Come, lie down. I've been busting your chops all morning, I'd be a monster if I didn't give you a chance to relax.”

So many alarms were screaming in Chrysalis’ head not to listen now, louder now than ever. She gulped. Slowly, she convinced herself to carefully and awkwardly sit a couple feet away from Celestia. She was pretty exhausted, after all.

“Do you do this with _each_ nobility you do business with?” Chrysalis growled.

“Nah, just the fun ones.” Celestia quipped, knocking the wind out of Chrysalis.

“ _Fun_? Are you serious?”

“Yeah. You're hilarious, it turns out.”

Chrysalis’ eye twitched.

“You're not going to come off as trustworthy if you keep lying like that, Celestia.”

Celestia sat up and, surprising Chrysalis, drew a bemused smile.

“Exactly, that's what I mean! Hilarious.” Celestia began, causing Chrysalis to squint skeptically. “Look, I get it now, okay? For YEARS I was the law coming in to take you away from your hive. So I've been trying really hard to make you feel like you fit in today, and you've been repaying me with that dry wit of yours.”

Begrudgingly, Chrysalis stopped squinting and humbly shook her head.

“Okay, you caught me. My secret is out. I'm hilarious.”

This pulled delighted laughter out of Celestia, causing Chrysalis to swell with pride.

“Oh, I knew you'd listen to reason, Chrysalis! It makes me wonder, though. Can I not tell Kibitz about the negotiations? It's not like we go public with these things right away, if that's what you're afraid of.”

Chrysalis stared over Celestia and into the distance, and for a second everything became very quiet. Celestia's request _was_ sensible. And for reasons unknown to her, at some point along their conversation, the information Chrysalis had picked up today had begun weighing on her mind. Guard routes, floor plans, agendas…

She looked back at Celestia.

“You are, without a doubt, the strangest, most persuasive creature I have ever encountered.”

Celestia beamed at her, and the tinny, bloody taste of regret filled Chrysalis’ mouth.


	6. War & Peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gotta say, I've never actually read War and Peace. Ostensibly it involves War as well as Peace, individually, but I wouldn't be able to tell you either way. I just Googled it and apparently it's about the French and the Russians or something? Anyways, here's my rendition of War and Peace using My Little Pony characters. I'd like to say I'm quite faithful to the source material.

Kibitz was audibly sweating.

Not once in a million years would he have ever expected to be sitting across a table from the changeling Queen herself, and even _then_ he would not have expected it to happen in such a peaceful context. But despite all that, here he was.

Fearfully, Kibitz turned to Celestia.

“I have a husband to return to, Princess.” 

“Yes, and he's a lovely stallion.”

“Please let me see him again.”

“I promise you'll be fine, Kibitz.”

“I can hear you two, you know.” Chrysalis interjected from the other side of the room, casually propping herself up with one of her forelegs.

The whispering pair snapped back to look at her, Kibitz's heart nearly jumping out of his chest. Celestia cleared her throat.

“Ahem. Of course, my apologies. Let's get started, then.”

Dusty light was filtering in through the foggy windows of the room. It was obvious from the art on display and the gold linings of the furniture that this was once a particularly expensive establishment, but time and disuse eventually took that flair away, replacing it with dust and cobwebs. Celestia continued.

“We... meet here today to broach the subject of peace between the Equestrian and Changeling kingdoms. As was agreed upon beforehand, we gather near Hayseed Swamp, exactly halfway between both kingdoms. My advisor Kibitz has been permitted to sit in on the discussion, and the other party has declined selecting their own. We begin... now.”

Chrysalis didn't waste any time, tapping her hoof on the table matter-of-factly as Celestia finished speaking.

“I have but one humble request, and that request is the assurance that my changelings are cared for properly.”

Celestia let go of her breath. She didn't need any more reassurances that she was doing the right thing, but hearing that helped.

“Ah, you make a reasonable demand. I'm sure there's some way we can-”

“And that would be a very difficult task to perform were I to be... kept behind bars.” Chrysalis hadn’t skipped a beat, and was examining one of her hooves.

That stopped Celestia in her tracks, her face scrunching up as if she ran into a wall. Kibitz scoffed.

“Surely you _jest_.” He looked to Celestia for backup. “She's asking for pardons, isn't she?”

“She is.”

“You were the ones who came to me asking for peace. I'm simply telling you what it would take for that to happen.” Chrysalis chimed in.

“Well, with all due respect, that's… ridiculous, Chrysalis. First of all, it wasn't _my_ idea to get into this mess...” Kibitz stared daggers at Celestia. “And second of all, how could we possibly do that? Where would the _justice_ be in that? Am I not correct, Princess?”

Celestia's gaze shifted around, conflicted, and she could feel two sets of eyes staring her down for an answer. Thoughts were bouncing around in her head, no single decisive one jumping out at her. She eventually caught the thread of an idea and pulled on it.

“Well, there... are ways to address that that don't involve _Tartarus time_ , Kibitz. She's got a long rap sheet, but not once has she ever truly threatened anyone's life. And your hive would be negatively affected were you to be unavailable, correct, Chrysalis?”

Chrysalis liked what she heard, and she deigned to look at them again.

“Yes, it's simple. They would be... lost without my guidance. My request also implies I keep my territory… for their sake, of course.”

Kibitz dabbed the sweat from his brow and adjusted his glasses, in complete disbelief that Celestia would defend her longtime enemy.

“So you're willing to overlook the… the abductions, the disruption of the peace? The trouble she's caused your citizens?”

Celestia placed a hoof on Kibitz's shoulder.

“Look, Kibitz, it's... more complicated than that. It's not the same as me overlooking it, it's just... she-”

“I can speak for myself, Celestia.”

Celestia clammed up.

“Oh. Yes. Go ahead.”

A notable change in stance could be seen in Chrysalis’ posture, and she was sitting up straight now, a distinct grimace on her face.

“I couldn't care less about you _ponies_. The only reason I ever _bothered_ was because you had something my hive _needed_.” The look in her eyes was deadly serious now. “Do you have any children, sir?”

“A… a son. He's an actor.”

“Commiserate with me, then. You’d do anything to make sure he was healthy, correct?”

Kibitz was sweating again, looking off to the side. He gave no reply.

“ _Exactly_. Now imagine there was a hundred more of him, and imagine they all subsisted off the energy of sentient things. That's rather clear, isn't it? I never terrorized your saccharine kind because I _enjoyed_ it. Everything I ever did, I did for my progeny, and if you think I will apologize for that, then I won't. So go ahead, punish me how you see fit. But don't let it affect _them_.”

Chrysalis’ words hung in the air, and neither Kibitz nor Celestia knew what to say in reply. All that could be heard was the creaking of old wood, and the silence between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Kibitz probed his mind for a counterpoint, but a creeping sense of guilt clogged his mind. At last, Celestia was the first to speak.

“I… knew you were only motivated by your changelings, Chrysalis, but when you put it that way, it… sounds rather dire. There... must be something our two combined kingdoms could do.”

“Ah, lovely, someone else in this room with half a brain.”

Kibitz nervously readjusted his glasses and ran a hoof through his gray hair.

“Perhaps… you've had the correct motivations. That doesn't preclude consequences for your actions, however. I feel for you, but I have our own to feel for as well.”

Chrysalis fell back in her seat and bore her teeth.

“ _Of course_.”

“Ah, don't think you haven't caused me to reconsider my stance, Queen Chrysalis. Her Radiance is correct when she says there are alternative punishments that you may find... preferable.” Kibitz turned to Celestia and tipped his glasses down. “It's never a quiet moment with you, Princess.”

Celestia raised her eyebrows, in complete disbelief that Kibitz would be so lenient with his longtime enemy. Chrysalis didn't respond at all, holding strong and remaining very annoyed. 

“How GENEROUS of you.”

“Chrysalis, if you knew Kibitz, then you'd know that's fairly generous of him.”

“Then I'm glad I don't.” Chrysalis spat through her gritted teeth.

Unfazed, Kibitz grabbed his clipboard off the table and made to leave.

“Well, if you're just going to make sour remarks now, then I believe we're done for the day.” He bowed, but only out of habit. “I must… take some time to consider what you've said. The _both_ of you. Now, the Summer Sun Celebration is but a couple weeks away, so we cannot be wasting any time right now, Celestia.”

Kibitz’s words came as a surprise to Celestia, and she could feel each one stab her in the chest.

“Oh. Um… of course, how could I forget?” Celestia moved to get up, obvious dejection in her voice. “It seems that's the time we have for now. Does that work for you, Chrysalis?”

The mares locked eyes for a moment, only for Celestia to nervously look away. Chrysalis rolled her eyes, shaking her head and turning to Kibitz.

“You ponies keep speaking of this ‘Summersun Celebration’. Celestia appears to have some disdain for it. I would like to know why it's so important.”

The opportunity to wax politically waved in front of his face, Kibitz perked up.

“Oh! Pardon me. It's an event held on the summer solstice each year, celebrating the Princess’ successes over her foes. It's a long-running tradition, and serves to stimulate civilian morale and local econ-”

A pillow-white wing extended abruptly in front of his face, silencing him and earning an eyebrow raise from Chrysalis.

“That will do, Kibitz. It isn't relevant to the conversation. We can call it a day.” Celestia spoke, firmly.

“Hmph. Very mature, Princess.” Kibitz gently pushed her wing out of the way. “Fine, be a filly about it! I'll be waiting in the carriage.” 

They broke off, Kibitz shuffling towards the exit and Celestia, seeing him leave, instead turned around and walked towards Chrysalis. Her pace was measured, calculated, and despite the wooden floor her approach was silent.

“I'm going to go unveil a new hospital. You want to come?”

Chrysalis smirked, picking up the scent of delicious vulnerability emanating from Celestia.

“Oh, _my_. It seems like _you're_ the one who wants to hang out this time.”

Dear heavens. It appears the tables have turned. Try not to blush.

“I-It's not like that! I... simply wanted to make up for Kibitz being a bother.”

“Of course. And you're going to do that by... inviting me to an unveiling? Like that would impress me?”

Celestia was really squirming now. She puffed up her chest, feigning confidence to try and reverse the situation.

“Yeah, I am! It's how I blow off steam on the long days! You cut a ribbon, everypony cheers, it's a great time! I thought... maybe you'd like it.”

Chrysalis crossed her forelegs and began to squint as if she were deep in thought.

“Hmm.”

“Oh- Unless you had other plans?”

“Hmmm. No, let me think.” She started to swivel in her chair and flick her eyes back and forth. “Hmmmm. Well... I don't see why not.”

A wave of relief rolled through Celestia and she smiled.

The skies that afternoon were clear, and there were nearly no clouds in sight. One could see for miles, the beautiful, green farmland below stretching far into the horizon. 

“You're sure no one's going to see me up here?” Chrysalis said, a chatter in her voice from the icy cold wind.

Celestia looked at the changeling flying next to her with an expression warm enough to thaw one’s core.

“Yes, I'm sure. You're basically a dot in the sky right now. But the pegasi _do_ do an excellent job keeping the weather clear around here, don't they?”

“I don't know what you mean by that and frankly it's nonsense but I'll take your word on it.” Chrysalis narrowed her eyes. “You're doing that thing again where I don't understand you.” 

Celestia laughed.

“What's there to not understand? Pegasi can control the weather by-”

“No, I'm not talking about that.” Chrysalis snapped. “That flippant butler of yours implied this should be a time of glory for you, and yet you do not seem to look forward to it.”

This shut Celestia up, removing all of the energy from her body. Her shoulders dropped.

“…and why should that matter to you?”

“Well, maybe…” Chrysalis folded her body up sheepishly. “Maybe I want to understand.”

Celestia's eyes widened in surprise.

“Y-You do?”

“Celestia, don't get on my nerves.”

“Okay, _fine_.” Celestia stuck her tongue out. “I'll tell you a bit. It's a celebration of my victory over a... very specific pony.”

“And this pony was…?”

Celestia paused for a minute, considering whether or not she should continue. She took a deep breath before finally speaking, bitterness stinging her breath as two words fell out of her mouth.

“My sister.”

Regret wracked Chrysalis as Celestia's short, efficient reply registered on her mind, causing her jaw to clench and her eyebrows to pop up.

“O… oh.”

“Yeah.”

Chrysalis flew closer to Celestia, getting in front of her to make sure they made eye contact. Chrysalis knew she looked concerned, but it didn't matter.

“Shall we speak of something else? What of this hospital, where is it situated?”

This returned a bit of enthusiasm back into Celestia and she smiled wistfully.

“Ah, yes. Ponyville General is located just off from the village of the same name. Crown funded, crown built. I've been looking forward to its completion.” Her smile began to warm. “I don't know how they survived this many years without a hospital, but now they don't have to.”

“You take care of your own, don't you?”

“I do. In many ways, I treat them like the family I never-” 

Celestia bit her tongue and thought about what she was going to say. The sound of wind whipping past her face and Chrysalis’ wings chittering filled her ears.

“Celestia? Hello? Are you trying to make me apologize?”

Hearing that foggily pulled Celestia back to the present.

“Oh, no, no. We just… we picked a poor time to become allies, didn't we?”

The unveiling came and went. A couple speeches were given, the ribbon was cut, and ponies cheered. Hard Hat, the lead designer himself, even said a few words. But, above everything else, the one thing that stood out to Chrysalis was the speech given by Celestia. When she walked up, the crowd fell silent. She took a moment to collect herself, then turned to the crowd with scissors ready.

“We often neglect our own health in favor of other things we find more important. Work, friends, family- inevitably, we all find something that must take priority. And Ponyville has been doing that since its creation. But today, thanks to the combined efforts of you all, this town no longer has to make that decision. Together, let's take our first step into the modern era!”

And, at that, she cut the ribbon and the crowd cheered, confetti showering over everyone. Celestia posed confidently, for this was her element, and right now nothing could possibly bring her down. From where Chrysalis was standing just beside the crowd, the light from the sun hit Celestia perfectly, reflecting off of her eyes and her golden adornments in rainbows. They caught eyes and for a second the sound didn't bother her.

Chrysalis was still thinking about it afterwards when Celestia approached her and the excitement had died down. Celestia galloped up to her excitedly.

“Hey! How’d you like that?”

Chrysalis shrugged.

“Eh. Well, it was certainly obnoxious. Your kind is so rife with affection that you toss it around all willy-nilly like this?”

“Yeah, and we do it multiple times a day. _That's_ why I'm so confident we can come to a peaceful resolution for your ch-” Celestia stopped herself as she realized there were still other ponies hanging around. “Uh, guys’ needs.”

The thought offended her, and Chrysalis pouted.

“Hmph. As if I needed your help.”

“Everyone needs help sometimes, Chr- Rhipheus. Even _I_ have my advisors.” Celestia stared into the distance. “...it only occurs to me now that we left Kibitz behind.”

Being reminded of this broke Chrysalis’ pout with a pleased smile.

“Ha, yes, I was aware. Your butler was getting on my nerves.”

“How often do I have to tell you he's not my butler? I literally just called him my advisor.” 

“You'll need to convince me to care first.” Chrysalis said as she lidded her eyes, unaffected.

“Oh, I forgot your default state was apa-”

“Princess!”

A voice from behind Celestia interrupted her, and the pair turned around to see the teacher, Cheerilee, brimming with joy.

“Oh, Cheerilee! Fancy meeting you here.”

“We’re so grateful you could appear at the unveiling today, Princess! I know you're very busy at this time of year, but you're still going to be at this Friday's meeting, correct?”

At that, Chrysalis’ ears perked up.

“Meeting?”

“She, uh… runs a club here, Rhipheus.” Celestia laughed nervously. “But yes, of course! I'll be there.”

“Great! And it was nice meeting you, Rhipheus. You're very lucky to be friends with Miss Celestia here.”

Chrysalis was getting a lot of practice not gagging lately. She was, however, not quite able to think straight while she was doing it.

“I sure AM! You're very… very…” Celestia was on the edge of her seat. She could feel something coming. “Very adorable, Cheerilee!”

Tears were in Celestia's eyes.

“Oh, uh… thank... you? I'll let you two... get back to it!” Cheerilee said, trying to scurry away as gracefully as she could.

The intruder leaving was a relief for Chrysalis. However, that didn't last, as when she turned to look at Celestia, she saw the Princess’ face turning bright red.

“Are you _laughing_?”

“No! I'm not! That was just... adorable.” Celestia caught her breath. “Anyway. Anyway! Woof. This has been... fun.” 

“ _Maybe_.”

There was a moment of silence between the two of them, Cheerilee's incursion interrupting the flow of their conversation and leaving them tongue tied. Everypony had finally filtered away, leaving only them standing just to the side of the hospital staring at each other. Chrysalis’ unyielding demeanor started to build tension within Celestia, and she slowly began to bounce from hoof to hoof until she couldn't stand it anymore and exploded.

“ _I really appreciate when you came to my rescue earlier!_ ” Celestia blurted out, as if the words forced themselves from her mouth. “You... saw Kibitz was upsetting me! And you did something about it! Then you wanted to know why I was upset! Thank you.”

Chrysalis blinked multiple times, completely blindsided by Celestia's shift in approach. Looking her up and down, Chrysalis surmised that somehow this was not some kind of ploy.

“Oh, um… you're… you're welcome?”

Celestia let out a big sigh of relief.

“Good! Gosh, it feels good to have that off my chest. Now, I really don't have an excuse this time, but… did you want to join me for another unveiling, Chrysalis? It's an art museum this time.”

This offer drew disbelief from Chrysalis, causing her to rear back.

_What's going on in your MIND right now, Celestia? You really think I'm going to SUBJECT myself to that again? The noise and the crowds and the teasing and the..._

_I don't even know who I am anymore._

Chrysalis made a giant, dramatic sigh and shook her head as if she were trying to escape some kind of trance. Eventually, she gave in, and looked to Celestia.

“Yeah. Sure. Let's go.”


	7. Suns & Daughters

They carefully poked their head through the doorway, a fear running through their body so powerful they could hardly move. There they saw an arrangement of chairs in the shape of a circle, a couple of ponies already seated. Various posters for different events were plastered up onto the walls, so many that it was difficult to pick out a single one, resting like a flock of birds on a massive tree.

They stayed paralyzed that way for a time until they convinced themselves to step all the way in. One hoof, then another, then all of them. With time, they even managed to settle into a seat next to a snow-white unicorn wrapped in a heavy, purple coat and wearing thick, red sunglasses.

Naturally, the unicorn glanced over at the pony that had just seated next to her, doing a double-take upon realizing they knew each other.

“Wait, aren't you- you're Applejack's brother, aren't you? Big Mac?”

“A-Ayup.”

So much for the plan.

The overly-dressed unicorn pulled down her sunglasses and revealed her face, stricken with surprise.

“It's me, Rarity! I know your sister! Oh, what are you doing here, darling?”

Big Mac would have immediately ran away if they weren't already petrified with fear, if it weren't already far too late. They were supposed to show up and hope they wouldn't recognize anyone, because then they could've at least pretended this never happened. That, of course, did not come to pass.

In the lull, Rarity caught onto Big Mac's panic and waved her hooves, as if to take back what she had just said.

“Oh, no, not that I'm judging, dear! I'm probably here for the same reason as you. I just… had no idea! We should... talk more.” Rarity tugged at her collar nervously before dropping the subject entirely. “Isn’t it _exciting_ that Celestia's going to appear for today's meeting?”

Hearing that struck Big Mac like a bolt of lightning and they sat up straight.

“WH- doing WHAT?”

Rarity touched their shoulder and shook them excitedly.

“I know! The Princess! Here! Goodness, you're in for a _treat_!”

Big Mac grinned a big, toothy, fake smile.

“Oh... boy!”

There had to be a way out of this.

* * *

There was a rumbling echoing through the catacombs of the hive, rumblings independent of the warping of it’s ever-shifting halls. They carried deeper and deeper into the core, stopping only once they arrived at Chrysalis’ gnarled hooves.

She rested upon her dark throne, lying along it on her back, head hung off one side and hind legs off another. The aura she gave off was both intimidating and lacking in motivation whatsoever, like a lioness on break, something dangerous without a direction.

“In all my years, I can't say I've ever had as LITTLE to do as I do RIGHT NOW.” She groaned, placing a hoof delicately against her forehead. “Please tell me you’ve something to report, Chitin.”

The attendant changeling sprung up as Chrysalis subtly opened an eye and looked at them. They straightened out their pose and saluted.

“We’ve ceased all raids according to your orders, but the warriors are growing anxious, my Queen! We're pretty much waiting for you to succeed in your spying mission, but they're beginning to wonder...”

“Hmph. Well, then they're just going to have to-“ Chrysalis sat straight up in her seat, just barely containing a gasp.

_My mission! That… completely slipped my mind! What am I doing?_

“Actually...” Chrysalis straightened out her mane and briskly turned to Chitin, covering up her sudden shock. “I won't let them wonder, then. I believe some good espionage is in order, yes?”

There had to be a way out of this.

The countryside was most marvelous at this time of year. Though, of course, Celestia would always tell you her favorite season was the one they were currently in. It's just so hard to pick when each version of Equestria has something to love about it. For example, she rummaged through her saddlebag for a pair of binoculars and peered through them at the nearby trees, observing the way that they-

“Princess.”

Celestia yelped and jumped into the air as a voice came from behind her. She turned around only to see her new ally, who had appeared to have suddenly materialized behind her.

“Chr-Chr-Rhipheus! What are _you_ doing here?”

Chrysalis shielded her eyes from the bright sun as she looked up at Celestia, disdain in her expression.

“Come down from there, you look silly. And, for the record, you reek so much of love lately I could follow the scent for miles. And your butler told me you were here, too.”

With a huff, Celestia landed lightly back onto the dirt road below.

“I... guess I'll take that as a compliment? So, uh... what's up?”

Chrysalis sat down and crossed her forelegs, shooing away a butterfly that had begun to flit towards her face.

“I'll tell you ‘what's up’. I haven't been organizing any raids, and we haven't made any progress on your so called ‘solutions’, so I'm bored and I'm going to take it out on you.”

As Chrysalis continued to speak and it became clear she wouldn't be leaving, Celestia began to sweat.

“O-oh, well, if you wanted to hash out politics, I'm busy today. We were scheduled for another time anyways, right?”

Chrysalis haughtily turned her face away and looked at the nearby lake.

“Politics can wait. My foragers are keeping us afloat right now.” She timidly pointed her eyes at Celestia. “What did you have planned? Maybe I can tag along.”

Celestia's eyes widened with surprise, certain that Chrysalis was only here because she needed something. Celestia rubbed the back of her neck and looked at the ground.

_Oh, of all times for Chrysalis to get friendly..._

“I see! Well, I had a few things I needed to do here... in Ponyville…” She said, looking up as an idea came to her. “I was on my way to Apple Acres! Yes, it's a place I visit every couple years!”

Doubtfully, Chrysalis raised an eyebrow and frowned. She stood up and stepped closer to Celestia to press her further.

“Is that so?”

The pointed response was found to be overwhelming, causing Celestia to broke eye contact again.

“It is! The only reason Ponyville exists is because I pointed their ancestors toward this land, so I like to see… where it is, every now and again.”

The sweating got worse as Chrysalis leaned in and narrowed her eyes, staring for what felt like hours. Eventually, she shrugged.

“...eh, that could be fun. It's better than nothing.”

_What have I done?_

“Awesome! Let's just go…” Celestia formed a mental map of Equestria and pointed in the opposite direction of where she was going. “That way!”

There had to be a way out of this.

The trees of Sweet Apple Acres were filled to the brim with apples, and fairly soon they would have to be harvested. Applejack took off her signature hat and wiped her forehead clean as she looked over the work that was ahead of her still. The light of the sun above bore onto her, and it wasn't doing her any favors.

“Now where's that danged brother of mine? He knows we've got a lot to do today.”

A streak of color was drawn on the sky above as Rainbow Dash flew over, basket of apples in hoof.

“Hah! Getting tired already, Jack?”

Applejack put her hat back on and looked up effortlessly.

“This was a trick to get you to help me, Rainbow Dash. I tricked you.”

“Heh!”

Unaffected by this revelation, Rainbow Dash disappeared wordlessly back into the trees. Before she could get back to work herself, Applejack's ears twitched as she sensed a noise echoing from somewhere nearby. 

“What's that now?” She scanned the area back and forth, attempting to locate the source.

Soon, the sound sharpened until it was clear that it was the voice of a filly running up from behind, tearing through the nearby trees.

“APPLEJACK!”

Responding to her name, Applejack spun around to see her little sister charging at her like a bat out of hell. She nearly toppled over catching Apple Bloom in her grip, skidding backwards an inch.

“Whoa, whoa! What the hay's goin’ on, sugarcube?”

Apple Bloom looked up at her sister before taking in a huge gulp of air.

“P-P-P-PRI-” She wrestled out a foreleg and pointed back to where she came from. “PRINCESS CELESTIA!”

And sure enough, there stood the Princess of the Sun, accompanied by a unicorn Applejack had never seen before.

“Oh, my word! Uh, Rainbow Dash, get down here!” She said, standing up and placing her hat against her chest.

“Why?” Rainbow Dash said, peeking over the edge of the trees.

“JUST GIT DOWN HERE! Greetings, uh… your shininess! And her friend! What brings y’all ‘round here?”

Celestia laughed nervously and elbowed Chrysalis, much to her annoyance. Chrysalis eyed her suspiciously.

“Oh, you know!” Celestia darted her eyes around, looking for somepony to cooperate with her. “Visiting, again! And I wanted to show my friend Rhipheus around, she’s a… a...”

“Entomologist.”

“Entomologist!” Celestia furrowed her brow and turned to look at Chrysalis. “Entomologist?”

“I study insects.”

Celestia whipped her head back around.

“She studies insects! And wanted to come along for my visit… like I do sometimes!”

Finally, Rainbow Dash flew down next to Applejack, dusting her hooves off as she dropped a full basket onto the dirt. They shared a momentary glance, exchanging words through eyesight alone.

“I dunno, they sound pretty legit, Jack.” Rainbow Dash quipped sarcastically.

“Of course.” Applejack said with a dramatic role of the eyes.

She looked Celestia up and down, sizing her up. Applejack stared a soul-piercing stare into the Princess’ eyes, a stare the Princess hadn't felt an equal caliber of in hours, before looking down and kicking at the dirt.

“Now I'm flattered y'all are here right now, ma'am, but I'm gonna be honest with ya. Ya don't. Ya don't do that.” Applejack stated matter-of-factly, putting her hat back on. “And I don't know why you’d be lyin 'bout visitin’ my farm, but that's none of my business. Still, maybe ya want to talk to ya buggy lady friend ‘bout it.”

The sound of glass shattering and a rainbow-maned pegasus ooo-ing filled Celestia's mind as she watched a simple farmer single-handedly dismantle her very well-thought-out plan. Chrysalis laughed.

“Oh, don't worry! I had a feeling that was the case, but I wanted to see how long she could keep it up.” Chrysalis gloated. “As it turns out, it wasn't very long. I simply must apologize for her antics.”

“No, girls, I definitely… it's a thing I do!”

“It's no problem, miss, just wish Big Mac coulda been here to greet ya.” Applejack said, squeezing her little sister. “Now, it's been lovely seein’ y'all today, even if the circumstances was suspect, but I have a feelin’ y’all have somewhere else to be. You say somethin’ nice too, Apple Bloom.”

“Wait, what? They just got here! Do they _really_ have to go, Applejack? Can't they stay for a _little_ while longer?”

Applejack looked at Chrysalis, then looked at Celestia, noting the former's annoyance with the latter.

“... I believe the Princess is in a bit of trouble, Apple Bloom.”

“I believe she is.” Chrysalis growled through a toothy smile as she leaned towards Celestia.

Celestia frowned and leaned away, resigning herself to the fate that she had been given.

_Note to self: Applejack is not a mare to trifle with._

It's not a well-known fact, but the Apple family has a decently sized lake just on the outside of their property, and it’s quite beautiful. It was difficult to appreciate at the moment, however, as Celestia had found herself sitting on its banks next to Chrysalis, who was feeling a mixture of perplexed, amused, and annoyed.

“Well, that Applejack was… fun! She sure was… brave!” Celestia said shakily, pulling at her necklace.

“Oh, yes, I very much quite liked her. But I believe it's time to start talking, princess.”

“Hm, perhaps. Entomologist, though? What happened to librarian?”

“Bugs are cool. STOP CHANGING THE SUBJECT! Where were you REALLY going, and why did you feel you needed to LIE to me about it, Celestia?”

Celestia broke eye contact nervously, looking out over the lake, fumbling for a quippy response. It quickly became clear Celestia didn't know what to say, and Chrysalis huffed.

“If you don't want to tell me, then _fine_. I'm not your grub sitter. But it cannot POSSIBLY be that bad. I'm not even angry, I'm simply offended that you’ve wasted my _time_. So you don't want to tell me? Then fine.”

Very clearly, something was not fine. With a loud sigh, Celestia finally gave in and waved her hoof in submission.

“Okay, OKAY, I'll tell you. But this is really serious, alright? Take this seriously.” Celestia took a deep breath, holding it for a precious few seconds longer before she had to continue. The moment Chrysalis nodded affirmatively, Celestia let go. “Okay. When I said Cheerilee ran a club, what I meant was… she helps run the Ponyville Pride Center. And, well, every other Friday, they... hold a transgender support group there.”

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow in confusion, tilting her head sideways.

“... I don't understand.”

“Okay, I… I can explain.” Celestia said, nervously rubbing her face, unsure how to continue. “Well, when I was born... I was told I would grow up to become a stallion. But now, centuries later, I am... a full-grown and _proud_ mare. And the Pride Center is… a place for ponies like me.”

Annoyed, Chrysalis narrowed her eyes.

“I know what transgender means, you doofus. If you're trying to tell me you’re transgender, then that's wonderful. Live your best self!” She said, pushing on Celestia's shoulder. “But that's where you were going before I showed up, then? Some kind of… support group?”

“Oh! Ha ha, of course.” Celestia laughed, her cheeks turning red from embarrassment. “But uh, yeah, I was.”

“And why was that all so hard to say?”

“I… I don't know! Normally I wear this stuff on my sleeve, but you just get me so… tongue-tied, sometimes.” Celestia paused, only continuing once she noticed Chrysalis’ skeptical expression. “I-I just never know how you're going to act! So I guess I was... afraid you wouldn't handle the subject delicately?”

Chrysalis was taken aback, dramatizing her reaction.

“And why would you _ever_ think I wouldn't handle this topic with the _utmost_ care?”

There was a pause in the conversation as Celestia looked at the lake.

_You are... really, really testing me today, huh?_

“Well, uh… for starters, we were enemies a month ago, and secondly, we've only ever engaged in an emotionally honest manner once, and when it came up, you immediately changed the subject. But it seems I've underestimated you, so I'm sorry.”

The playful shock Chrysalis was displaying immediately gave way to regret, and her tone became soft.

“Oh. Oh, Celestia… I simply thought… I thought you didn't want to talk about your sister. I'm sorry if you did, this is all new to me.”

“No, no, it was the right thing to do. But that's what I mean. Being friends with you is… it's new. I don't know your boundaries, you don't know mine.”

Chrysalis’ ears perked up. They locked eyes with each other, the water reflected in their vision.

“You consider me… a friend?”

“I do.”

The potent miasma of kindness filled Chrysalis’ nose, mouth, and throat, and it tasted like blood. A deep, primal part of Chrysalis told her to attack, to tear Celestia apart and take everything she had.

But she didn't.

Instead she leaned in closer, and she listened.

“O-of course, I understand if you don't…”

“I do.”

Celestia gulped.

“Good! Good.” She said, rubbing her knees as the tension left her body.

Some time passed before either of them spoke again. Celestia sighed.

“It's strange…”

“What is?” 

“Well… next week, Luna will have been gone for 1000 years. It feels like yesterday she was my best friend.”

“That sounds... terrible.”

Celestia looked at Chrysalis and tried to smile, but her expression had turned inexorably grim.

“Yeah. She... was the last one to go. Not once did I think it would get her too. I'd say it’s in the blood, but… well,“ She laughed nervously. “I'm still here.”

Chrysalis thoughtlessly grabbed Celestia's leg.

“You better not be blaming yourself for that. For surviving.”

Celestia's cheeks turned red and she could feel her heartbeat in her chest, taken aback by Chrysalis’ sudden response. In that moment, something clicked in her mind.

“O-okay… you got it, Chrys.”

Despite it still being early noon, a star was shining bright enough to be seen in the sky just above the lake. There were lots of things that could have been said just then. In the end, however, none of it felt quite as right. The words came out easily, received nearly as well, and Chrysalis couldn't fully convince herself that they were lies.

The star was still shining when they got to the Pride Center. The walls of the lounge were a bright white, lined with a muted blue. Wherever there weren't bookcases or furniture, there were cork boards and racks filled up with all sorts of flyers and notes for different events and organizations. Community.

“You're fine with me leaving you here, right?”

“Of course, of course. Confidentiality or whatever.”

Celestia beamed, and she dropped off her saddlebags onto the table next to Chrysalis.

“I'll be back. Don't be a stranger, everyone here is nice.”

Celestia left the room, giddy, and Chrysalis had suddenly found herself alone with the Princess’ things. With a curious glance, she saw a book, bound with old wood and etched with curious symbols, poking out of the side of the bag.

She jumped and quickly looked away, trying to distract herself from what she had just seen. But no matter what she thought about - Celestia's meeting, the peace treaty, being left alone - she kept finding herself looking at the book.

This was the whole point. _This_ was why she was even _here_ … right? Why couldn't she just DO it?

Chrysalis was sweating now. All she could hear was the ticking of the clock and the beating of her twin hearts. It would be a long time before Celestia was back.

* * *

It was time. Rarity was talking to somepony else. She wouldn't notice them leave, and she wouldn't be able to stop them. The door was right there, growing ever closer, and with a few more steps this would all be over.

And that would have been true if it weren't for the Princess herself walking in from the other side, nearly causing them to crash into each other. Celestia looked down from above and smiled.

“Oh! So, where are we headed?”

The color drained from their face as their last hope for escape slipped through the door without them.

“I… was just… I have to go.”

Ignoring their response, Celestia leaned her head down closer, a wiseness in her expression.

“What name should I call you? The one you want me to call you.”

Celestia's question caught them totally off-guard. Confusion ran through their mind and they hesitated, unsure what the right reply was. Weighing their options, it was either be honest or ignore the Princess. The answer felt obvious, but something about this moment told them to take the risk… just this one time.

“Well, uh… it's… I'm Orchard.”

A smile appeared on Celestia's face, a smile that almost communicated that she made the right response.

“Alright, Orchard. Now, I'll let you go if you really want to go. But there isn't just going to be a way out of this. You've got to deal with it eventually, dear, and I feel it would be easier if you're not alone when you do.”

Orchard gulped. What the Princess was saying was _insane_. Who says she had to deal with ANYTHING? Why was Celestia even HERE? And what could any of this possibly have to do with-

At that, the answer became very quite clear. Her mind quieted down, a sense of serenity overtaking her. She looked back up at Celestia, seeing something familiar in her eyes she hadn't noticed before. 

And like that, she stayed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Trans rights!" - Princess Celestia


	8. Doom & Bloom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you believe in astrology, dear reader? I don't think I do, as I fancy myself a scientific mind, but I do indulge in fantasy from time to time. It can be a lot of fun! No, my disbelief in astrology has nothing to do with the fact I'm a Gemini. 
> 
> What does this have to do with this week's chapter, again? I've been looking at the sky too much lately. Have you ever thought about how a random gamma ray burst could end the world some day? 
> 
> Have fun!

The dot of blinding light stood out against the bright blue sky, filling the aperture of Celestia's telescope and obscuring all else. She pulled her face away and looked at it with her own two eyes, perturbed that she could still see the rogue star. Away from the telescope, Celestia's other senses slowly returned to her, and she could hear Chrysalis talking away as she laid upon a pillow.

“And oh, Pharynx, Pharynx makes me extremely proud. He'll become an excellent King someday. I find that twin brother of his to be quite… underwhelming, but he's the best forager I have, at least.“ She rolled onto her side and looked at Celestia. “You're listening, right? Why is it we are even up here, Celestia?”

Celestia, hearing her name, absentmindedly turned around.

“Hm? Oh, I… do some astronomy on the side. I noticed this quite peculiar star and wished to examine it closer. But yes, I’ve been listening to you brag about your offspring, Chrysalis.”

“Strange star. Hm. Got it.” Chrysalis nodded. “Well, have you learned anything, at least?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow and looked back at the star.

“Uh… it's very bright. I'm not sure it was on my star charts before, but if it was, it's approached us in the past couple days.”

“I feel as if that statement fills me with dread.”

Celestia stifled back laughter.

“Oh, no, I'm sure it's nothing. There's the offhand chance it's a new supernova, so there's no reason to panic _quite_ yet.”

Eventually, the pair stopped hanging out in Celestia's tower, pulled back to the Earth on other business. They worked their way through the halls of Canterlot, soon arriving at the royal kitchen. The smell of cakes and pies wafted through the air as Celestia stopped Chrysalis by putting a foreleg against the door frame.

“Look, I'm, uh… sorry we've been doing all this stuff for me when we could be focusing on... your interests instead.”

A wry smile grew on Chrysalis’ face.

“Wow. You never really turn off, do you? It's permissible for now, Celestia. If it were the yearly Molting at my Hive you would do me the same.”

Celestia smiled and her cheeks turned warm.

“Thanks, you're right. I think.”

Finally, the pair entered the kitchen, which was consumed with the banging and shouting and artistry of the many chefs at work preparing for the Celebration. Chrysalis froze in place, but Celestia stepped forward easily.

“Hello, everypony!” She spoke clearly, confidently, her voice carrying over the din of murmuring and clatter. “Are we on schedule for the Celebration this week?”

The cooks all turned to look at Celestia in an almost eerie unison, falling deadly silent. The head cook was the only one to respond.

“Well, uh, you see, Princess… the truth is…” he gulped, removing his hat. “I don't know how it happened, but we appear to be missing a rather... vital ingredient.”

Pinkie Pie stood straight up out of the grass, her tail pointing outward like an arrow.

“Oh, what's up, Pinkie?”

She turned around to face Fluttershy, death in her expression.

“ _There's an EMERGENCY, Shy._ ”

* * *

Celestia paced the castle halls, dragging an unwilling Chrysalis along with her, her sense of routine entirely interrupted by the recent sequence of events. Unable to keep up any longer, Chrysalis plopped down in a corner and watched the big, sunny alicorn run herself down from a distance.

“I don't understand what the big deal is, Celestia. If it's missing, your subjects will find it. Perhaps one of the inept ones simply wandered off with it.”

“But that's just it, Chrys! That doesn't happen, we _always_ secure the Starfield sugar! And that's not even the first thing that's gone wrong this month!” Celestia spoke manically, looking at Chrysalis. “Coloratura had to cancel, and we've been having mechanical issues with the floats… at this point I'm beginning to worry we're cursed or something!”

Throwing out a leg, Chrysalis caught Celestia by the shoulder, stopping her abruptly.

“Okay, so you're obsessing again. How about we check these other occurrences, perhaps we can prove it's just your paranoia?”

Celestia's eyes darted around nervously before she finally looked into Chrysalis’.

“I… I guess I have about half an hour before I meet with the cotton candy vendor, so…”

“Excellent! Let's go!” Chrysalis shouted, eager to take her turn dragging Celestia around.

They eventually arrived at the warehouse, but not after a prolonged series of questionably-motivated detours involving a few bookstores and sightseeing. Looking inside the warehouse revealed that it was dark and cold, the only light spilling in from the open door from where the royal mares stood. Consequently, the pitch-black blanket placed in front of them yielded little information.

“Oh, goodness. Let me fix that.”

Celestia flipped one of the switches on the nearby wall, but instead of the ceiling lights coming on, dozens of little bulbs sprung to life, producing colorful dots like stars in the night sky. Even in the dim, the shapes of various floats could be made out now; some simple and reserved, and others seemed designed to inflate the ego of a certain regal somepony.

“Well, that wasn't the correct-” Celestia paused mid-sentence as she noticed Chrysalis’ awed expression, the way the lights seemed to dance off of her eyes. The moment was fleeting, disappearing as soon as Chrysalis noticed she was being watched, but it stuck with Celestia like an impression pressed into her skin.

“Ah-hem.” Chrysalis coughed and adjusted her glasses. “Okay then. So where is this ‘mechanical issue’ you mentioned?”

“Uhhhh... over here! First we have the issue with the light bulbs, so it's good… we'll leave those on!”

Celestia lead Chrysalis between the floats for a while, eventually ending up at a float in the shape of a giant sun. The sun was rimmed with lights, which were intermittently blinking on and off.

“See! That's not supposed to be doing that!”

“Hmm…” Chrysalis didn't think this far. She walked closer in an attempt to buy herself some time. “Well, I guess... we should check the-”

Suddenly, the loud sound of something metallic falling over echoed throughout the warehouse. The pair spun around towards the source simultaneously, preparing to attack. 

“Show yourself, intruder!” Celestia commanded, her horn aglow.

A tense moment passed. Eventually, finally, a small, bright pink pony stepped out from behind one of the floats.

“Hi!”

Celestia raised an eyebrow, perturbed.

“Uh… hello? And what are... you doing here?”

The intruder swiveled her head around, confused.

“Isn't it obvious?”

“It really isn't!”

“Well, I just thought you guys might need some help with some party stuff!”

Before Celestia could reply, Chrysalis shoved herself in front and stood over the intruder menacingly.

“Now hold on just a SECOND! As the royal party coordinator, I, Rhipheus, would like to know who you think you ARE!”

The intruder, unfazed, crossed her forelegs and her eyes suddenly became very serious.

“Oh, so YOU'RE the one running this operation. Makes sense. I could sense a FESTIVE DISASTER approaching like a MASSIVE fireball hurtling towards EQUESTRIA!”

Celestia's blood ran cold and for a second the intruders words just became sounds.

“Wh- what-” Celestia shook her head and stepped forward, uniting angry fronts with Chrysalis. “I'm… going to ignore that thing you just said! If you only came here to insult my, er- coordinator, then I think I must ask you to leave!”

The intruder threw her legs up and began to wave them in protest.

“No, wait, I'm just trying to help you guys! Tell ‘em, Fluttershy!” 

A tiny, timid voice could be heard as the intruder reached behind a float and produced a light-yellow, terrified pegasus, who was struggling against her grip.

“No, no, Pinkie, no! I already told you, I don't want to-” Fluttershy went rigid as she realized the Princess and her coordinator could see her now. “O-oh. Oh no.”

“Bless me.” Chrysalis narrowed her eyes and grimaced. “There are actually TWO of you.”

On cue, Pinkie Pie gave Fluttershy a back-breaking hug.

“Yeah! Fluttershy's my very best friend, and I wanted to bring her along!”

Everyone was looking at Fluttershy now, who was trying desperately to hide in Pinkie Pie’s grasp, but found her to be lousy cover.

“I-I'm not your _only_ best friend, Pinkie Pie! Applejack and Rainbow Dash are just, well… doing the stuff they do! And Rarity… Rarity's always busy. I-I was the only friend available.”

Celestia and Chrysalis snuck a glance at each other, unsure of what to make of this. They shared a few unspoken words, communicating to each other that they were both at a loss. Chrysalis snapped her face back towards the intruders.

“I don't care.” She spoke with disdain. “All I care about is if the Celebration is going swimmingly or not. So you're saying you can advocate for this… Pinkied Pie, then?” 

Mustering all of the bravery she had in her little heart, Fluttershy peeked out of Pinkie Pie's grip.

“W-well, I guess I… could. She's the b-best party planner I've ever met.”

Chrysalis scrunched up her nose. She wasn't buying it. Turning to look to Celestia for support, she was shocked to find that she was suddenly lost in thought, mulling the idea over in her head.

“...are you really CONSIDERING this, Celestia?”

“Weeell… what would the harm be, Rhipheus?” Celestia shrugged. “Maybe they're right? Maybe we need all the help we can get.”

“Oh, you ARE. I LITERALLY don't know what I expected of you.” Chrysalis groaned, the one person she had in her corner now plotting against her. “Fine! It's my lucky day, I guess! Show us your magic, oh revered party master!”

Pinkie Pie saluted.

“You got it!” She clenched her eyes shut, dropping Fluttershy and beginning to pace around.

This process went on for a good few minutes. Chrysalis, confused, turned to Fluttershy.

“Was that i-”

In that moment, Pinkie Pie's tail sharpened to a point in the direction of the warehouse entrance and she began to run.

“THIS WAY!”

“Wait-!” Celestia shouted, giving chase. “Wait, the faulty lights are right HERE!”

Chrysalis followed a few steps before giving up and dropping her head to the ground.

“Oh, CELESTIA! Good grief.” She grumbled and glanced at Fluttershy, defeated. “How did we end up with the friends we have, Fluttersly?”

“I-I really don't know.”

Pinkie Pie tore out of the warehouse and into the streets, quickly fading into the distance. As Celestia followed close behind, she knew she had to make a quick move or else this year's Celebration would be a DISASTER.

Ultimately, she decided the momentary disruption of the peace was necessary. With a flash of glorious light, Celestia's surroundings twisted and liquefied as she teleported forward, the distance between her and Pinkie Pie collapsing in an instant. Chrysalis followed close behind, teleporting with Fluttershy in tow.

“Celestia! Do you REALLY think this, oof- WISE?

“I don't know what I think! I've lost control of my life!!!” Celestia shouted manically, dodging pedestrians.

Before Chrysalis could talk sense into her further, a shrill yell could be heard up ahead as Pinkie Pie turned down a corner and through a food cart.

“OVER HERE!” 

“I'm sorry, I'll be back!” Celestia quickly apologized as they ran past the vendor. “Okay, Rhipheus, so uh…! I haven't been totally honest! When I said you shouldn't worry about that star, I think I was wrong!”

“ _WHAT?_ ” Chrysalis shouted, watching Celestia turn down the alley. “YOU CAN'T JUST SAY THAT, CELESTIA!”

The alley was eerily quiet when they finally came upon it and skid to a halt. It was dark, visibility was low, and for a second she thought no one else was there.

“Celestia! Tell me what you-”

“Shush.”

As soon as she had that thought, they heard a voice, low and guttural, deep in the shadows. Celestia and Chrysalis stood unflinchingly, positioning themselves in front of Fluttershy.

“Hello?” Celestia asked, attempting to mask the nerves in her voice.

“Uhhh, hi? You guys are so slow! I solved the problem, you know!”

Pinkie Pie appeared from the darkness, a royal cook in tow. His clothes were disheveled and his eyes were glassy and empty, staring blankly into the distance, and in his grasp was a big, brown bag. For a moment, the cook didn't react to their presence, but he finally shook his head and returned to reality.

“Ah! P-Princess! Rhipheus!” He stuttered, taking in his surroundings all at once. “What happened? Where _am_ I?”

Jackpot. Sensing a juicy opportunity, Chrysalis walked up to the cook and slung a leg around his shoulder.

“Ohhh you're safe now, son. It seems you simply _got a bit lost_ while carrying around the sugar. Isn't that right, _Celestia?_ Poor fellow got lost.” Chrysalis snuck a smile at Celestia, savoring the correctness of her assumption.

Celestia frowned, feeling as if she was still missing something.

“Okay it… seems that way, yes. Here, I'll take that sugar, it's safer with me. Let's head back to the castle.”

“Yoooou got it!” Pinkie Pie shouted, grabbing the cook and Fluttershy and holding them overhead. “We solved the case, Fluttershy!”

“Wait, Pinkie, put me down! I told you to warn me first! Pinkieee!”

As Pinkie Pie bounced off triumphantly, two unfortunate wards in tow, Celestia attempted to follow, only to be pulled back into the alley by Chrysalis.

“See? I was right. There's no curse or anything of the like, Celestia. One of your servants simply got lost.”

Celestia shrugged and looked away into the dark alleyway.

“Look, it's… not just about these mishaps. I have good reason to worry, Chrysalis.”

“Well, if that's the case, then here's an opportunity to explain it to me.” Chrysalis said, pulling Celestia closer. “I authentically don't understand why you've been spinning these stories of approaching stars having some grand design against you, Celestia. It's giving me anxiety.”

Celestia laughed nervously.

“Okay, you have a point, it sounds crazy out of context. The reason I'm so troubled by this star is…” She took a deep breath. “They were implicated in my sister's prophesied return one day. And I fear our newfound allegiance will not be enough to prevent that very event from coming to pass.”

As Celestia spoke, Chrysalis began to let go of her. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about Celestia's words didn't sit well in her ears.

“...is that it, then? I don't see why you would lend so much credence to this ‘prophecy’.”

“Well, it's not just some old mare’s tale, great poet and oracle Saddlepho told me it herself. Not only that, but…” Celestia walked towards the alley's exit and pointed at the sky. “That star appeared EXACTLY one week before the 1000th Celebration, the day that was foretold she would escape. All these little star-related accidents... they're omens. And they're only going to get worse for us.”

Chrysalis sat on the spot and crossed her forelegs.

“... I see.” She mused, lost in thought.

“You can bail if you want.” Celestia muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. “I'd understand.”

Celestia’s offer hung in the air, as if held aloft by string. They looked into each other's eyes for a tense second, until at last Chrysalis haughtily swept her bangs aside.

“Hmph. Do you think I, a _Queen_ , would bend to the soothsaying of some no-name mare from a bygone era? I wouldn't be much of an ally were that the case.”

Relief swept through Celestia, and she smiled warmly. 

“Thanks, Chrys. You're the best.”

Surprised by the compliment, Chrysalis just managed to resist reciprocating the smile, deflecting with a cocky tilt of the head. At last, they left to catch up with the others and deliver the sugar. Directly overhead, in the sky, the star that was watching them hung bright, and bold, and innocent.


	9. Breaker & Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're in for a real spooktacular evening, dear reader!!!!! I've got all of the horse-based scares loaded up already, so I hope you are...
> 
> Wait, what do you mean it's still summertime in the fic? Oh no, you're right! Well, that's okay. I know just the mare to really get Equestria in a mood for pranks! I'll dial her up right now, so you just sit tight right there. Hey, in fact, you can read this new chapter while you wait! I love when everything comes full circle.

The planet below looked so small. So grand. 

The Sun favored it, and the Earth reciprocated. From where she lay, indisposed, they both seemed so warm. 

She couldn't help but gaze upon it all with disgust. 

Movement caught her eye, and she looked up, at the stars, which had begun to move. They were spiraling around a single point of light, millions of miles away, an insular star named Rigil.

A booming voice that sounded as if it came from all directions filled her mind.

_The time grows near, child..._

_Your dear sister has long since abandoned the element of Magic, and her seal grows weak. But now, just before your prophesied return, her heart has begun to heal, and what once eroded by 1000 years of neglect has begun to strengthen and embolden…_

_But you must not worry, child. The seal shall be undone. Justice shall prevail._

_Your parents will always love you._

* * *

__

The sound of hoof banging against wood could be heard echoing all throughout the castle, down the bustling halls and into the peaceful courtyard. It resonated with an angry frequency, as if the knocking itself was nagging the listener somehow.

__

“PRINCESS! YOU BETTER NOT BE HIDING IN THERE!”

__

Eventually, it became clear that she wasn't. Kibitz ceased banging on the door to the Princess’ study, defeated.

__

“Harumph. Ridiculous. I don't know why I had hoped you would act like an adult today, given the way you've been since Chrysalis got to you. Where are you _now_ , Celesti-”

__

“I'm right here, old friend.”

__

Kibitz spun around to see Celestia towering over him, blanketing him in shadow, standing so close that he nearly ran into her.

__

“Ah-ha, there you are! I swear you've been trying to give me a heart attack, Princess.” He straightened his tie and fixed his hair. “The Celebration is less than 48 hours away, now! You leave for Ponyville very early tomorrow, so you simply _must_ complete today's agenda, posthaste.”

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Celestia gave a big, exaggerated nod.

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“Golly! I'll wrap things up then.”

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“Er… good.”

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Satisfied if a little suspicious, Kibitz turned around and immediately got to work on his next bullet point. Once he finished turning the corner, Celestia looked back and forth before creeping into her study and silently slipping through the door.

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It was quiet inside, mostly empty except for a guard. It seemed as if the guard was waiting for her, standing by the window, and they locked eyes. Celestia raised a curious eyebrow, thinking for a moment about what she should do.

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“... Vicit?”

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The guard straightened his back and saluted, responding to Celestia's call.

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“Invictus.”

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Celestia smiled a cruel smile, and with a flash of green flame, Chrysalis took her place. Following her lead, the guard transformed to reveal a very decorated changeling standing where he once stood.

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“ _Excellent._ ” Chrysalis stifled back a cackle. “Tell me, Stinger. How are things back home?”

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Stinger approached Chrysalis and kneeled piously.

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“I have good news and bad news, my Queen. Resources are holding, but not for long, and the soldiers are beginning to get anxious.”

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Chrysalis narrowed her eyes and snarled.

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“This sounds all like BAD news.”

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“The good news is they haven't revolted yet.” Stinger opened an eye and looked up at her. “In my opinion, we should be taking action.”

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“I do not believe I ASKED for your opinion.” Chrysalis huffed. “I am making EXCELLENT progress, and they won't be waiting long. This will all be over soon.”

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“I don't think we can wait any-”

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“ENOUGH! I've given you my message. Now relay it.”

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The room was silent now, almost as if Chrysalis had commanded the air itself to leave it. Only Stinger could manage to stand up and speak.

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“Yes... my Queen.”

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And he left through the window.

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Even with the rendezvous finished and her message sent, the room was still devoid of air. Chrysalis sat down and stared at the wall, forcing any oxygen she could into her lungs, desperately trying to pull it back in. She knew things would one day come to this, but her decision came with great and alarming apprehension, baffling even herself. After all, there was no need for such anxiety, because this was going to be easy… right?

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There was a light breeze where she found Celestia, sitting on a hill outside, surrounded with piles of neatly organized letters. The sun had just begun to dip below the horizon, the night sky beginning to peek through. Chrysalis stood at a distance, frozen, and took a deep breath.

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“Hi, Celestia.”

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Celestia jumped and spun her head around, smiling once she realized who was there.

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“Oh, hello, friend! I must've gotten wrapped up stamping things. You excited for the Celebration?”

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“Yes, I love how loud and rude everyone's getting.”

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“I know you do.” She said, stamping another letter. “Don't worry, things will calm down soon.”

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A minute passed and Celestia didn't receive a response, causing her to at last stop stamping. As she looked over Chrysalis for a second time, Celestia noticed she hadn’t moved an inch since she appeared.

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“Chrys? What's up?”

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Chrysalis shuffled in her spot and proudly looked away, face pointing to the sky.

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“I'm fine. I can wait another two days.”

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It was unbearably obvious that Chrysalis was beginning to wall up, and in response Celestia turned all the way around in her spot to face her.

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“Hey, if something's bothering you, then you can talk to me. This stationery stuff is basically automatic at this point.”

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It always seemed like Celestia knew what to say, and it was _infuriating_. She wanted to protest, but another part of her wanted her to not, and that part eked out a grueling victory as Chrysalis got closer and sat down.

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“You're... sure it's okay? The actual Celebration hasn't even happened yet.”

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“Abso-lutely. Hit me up, girl.”

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“Well…” Chrysalis gulped. “We probably need to… you know… hurry things up.”

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Celestia looked up and made a point out of making eye contact.

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“You don't have to be shy about that, Chrys. At this point I just need to show up to the Celebration and I'm-”

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In that moment Celestia stopped mid-sentence, her jaw dropping as the color drained from her face. Chrysalis raised an eyebrow and tilted her head in confusion.

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“Celestia...? Is there... something on my face?”

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“I… I didn't raise the moon yet.”

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“ _What?_ ”

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Celestia pointed up at the dusky evening sky behind Chrysalis.

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“I didn't raise the moon.”

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Chrysalis turned around and looked up, and sure enough, hovering in the deep-purple cosmos above them, was the moon.

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“That's not funny, Celestia.”

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“I swear on my life this isn't a joke, Chrysalis. I would not disrupt the celestial schedule for a _joke_. And not only that... I'm pretty sure there's more stars now. Three, in fact!”

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And once again, next to the moon, was the star from before, three new ones quickly orbiting it.

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“Okay, I'm done being skeptical. Let's panic!”

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Back at the castle, the softness of her bed did little to make her feel better. The only thing that gave her solace was that, as she sat atop it, she could look over and see Chrysalis lost in thought, her head tilted the way it always did.

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For an entire day, Celestia had kept trying to tap into the Elements, but each time her heart called out to them, they didn't answer. Once, she thought she sensed a faint signal and the wind picked up, but the line quickly broke and didn't return. At some point over these past 1000 years, even the Elements abandoned her. Celestia began to sulk, something that did not escape the notice of Chrysalis.

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“Okay.” Chrysalis said, breaking the silence. “No more moping. Speaking from… recent experience, should we be acting like it's impossible for things to end amicably?”

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“That’s a good point. But it's more complicated than a simple misunderstanding. She’s been cursed, as was my entire family. Long story short, as a blood relative, I can't be the one to undo that curse.”

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There was a lull in the conversation as the obvious question lingered in the air between them.

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“...should I be asking what your family did to receive a blood curse?”

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“Someday.”

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Chrysalis groaned and stood back up.

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“ _Fine_. Then I'll undo it, how hard could it be?”

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Celestia perked up as the idea crossed her mind.

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“Hm, interesting. The only issue I can think of is… the thing you would need won't work unless you spend the time to attune to each of its six pieces.” Celestia mused, tilting her head as she began to catch hint of a breakthrough. “Wait. Each individual piece CAN call out to a pony… MAYBE, if we're lucky, you would resonate with one of them, and we would only need five-”

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Just then, a bolt of green flame sprung into existence above the both of them, causing Chrysalis to jump and fall over. Out of the fire materialized a scroll that landed on Celestia's head and fell to the ground with a crumple.

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“Oh, ow! Twilight! Now I've lost it!” Celestia grumbled, picking up the letter.

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“W-WHAT in the NAME of- is THAT how that student of yours communicates with you?” Chrysalis sputtered, bowled over by the sudden interference. “She REALLY knows how to interrupt a conversation, doesn't she?” 

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“What, you don't send letters through dragon?” Celestia asked sarcastically as she shredded the seal and scanned the parchment. “Huh. Weird, she's talking about what WE'RE talking about. I really need to find that girl some-”

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Celestia stopped mid-sentence as her train of thought returned to her.

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“Wait, didn't… Fluttershy mentioned the names Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity, right?”

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“Literally who is Flutterpie.” Chrysalis droned, lying flat on her back as Celestia began to roll in her bed.

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“Those five… KNOW each other.”

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Running the numbers in her head with a vague mania, Celestia cross-referenced the different Elements against the different ponies she had met in the past month, and when she did, it finally hit her, causing her to spring up out of bed.

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“Oh no, I-I’ve got it.”

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“Got what?” Chrysalis said, rolling over.

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“The solution!”

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The quaint Ponyville hotel was modest, and could not hope to even be anywhere as near where either Celestia or Chrysalis was used to, but there was still something heartfelt about it. In every little thing, you could just feel how somepony put everything they had into making it the best possible. The beds, the carpet, the windows… it was hard to put a hoof on it, but it all felt special, and each corner of the room had a faint smell of honey. It was… homey. This was little solace, however, and Celestia sat at the table with a cup of tea, staring a detached stare that went far into the distance.

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“Hey. Tell me more about yourself.”

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Chrysalis pulled her face away from the window and out of the blinds and looked at Celestia incredulously.

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“Really? Don't we have OTHER things to worry about?”

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Celestia calmly placed down her cup of tea, a manic anxiety in her expression.

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“...my point _exactly_. I've just sent my most prized student out on a mission that could get both her AND I in a lot of trouble, and I'm EXPLICITLY not allowed to interfere! We're _also_ jumping into a peace treaty _and_ … now get this… you're my friend and I want to know more about you! Tell me something, Chrys, please.”

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Caught off guard, Chrysalis leaned against the wall and blushed.

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_Oh, uh… wow. She's not going to relent, isn't she._

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“Whoa, o-kay, fine. Well, I… currently have 286 changelings?”

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“That's amazing, but it's not something about you, Chrys.”

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“Oh. Right. I guess I’ve never really thought about mys- I've decided this is stupid, actually. Talking about this is stupid.”

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Determined, Celestia rose from her chair and approached Chrysalis.

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“Come on, you've got to have something for me! You have parents, right? I assume you had siblings.”

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Celestia stepped back and forth in front of Chrysalis, but no matter what she tried, Chrysalis shrunk deeper and deeper into her corner. This went on for some time, Celestia probing and Chrysalis dodging. Eventually, no longer able to sustain a pout, Chrysalis relented.

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“Fine! Yes, I did! If you fear Twilight will fail, then why don't you try to help her?”

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Celestia blinked in surprise.

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“Oh, well... I have complete faith in her. I may fear for her safety, of course I do, but... I have absolutely no doubts she will succeed. Also, if I directly meddle with the process, then it'll-”

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The next thing Celestia knew, she was surrounded by stars. The sudden shift in perspectives was so jarring that at first she didn't notice the shadowy mass of darkness twisted around her neck, holding her aloft, her mind still reeling.

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She looked around, realizing the stars were not only above her, but below her, and the Earth was behind. Facing forward, she finally saw the moon, massive, wreathed in stars and eclipsing the sun. And in front of the moon stood a shadowed figure possessing a pair of glowing eyes she had not seen in a very long time.

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“Wh- sister?”

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Nightmare Moon laughed a laugh that was more like a wolf howling, as if hearing Celestia's voice again awoke something primal and old in her. She stepped out of the moon’s shadow, towards Celestia, revealing her grinning face.

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“You know, you could have avoided all of this, dear sister. You could have just joined the family business of Chaos! But someone had to have Equestria _all to herself_.” Nightmare Moon spoke hungrily, her grip on Celestia subtly growing tighter.

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“Ghk-! This isn't- you talking, Luna! It's- father!”

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Incensed by Celestia's response, Nightmare Moon viciously dragged her sister closer until they were standing face-to-face, the stars in Celestia's vision becoming momentary streaks of light as everything became a blur.

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“ _NONE_ OF THIS IS ABOUT _HIM_! It's about how when I look down at YOU, traipsing around with that CHANGELING, I…” Nightmare Moon squinted. “That's what you thought, wasn't it? Fall in love, leave your awful sister imprisoned. Two alicorns, one stone! It's brilliant! Or WAS.”

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“W-Wait, what? What are you t-” 

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The miasma around Celestia's throat constricted tighter, obstructing her ability to speak.

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“DON'T PLAY COY WITH ME! After watching you for a few centuries, I learned patterns, sister - you tease your mark a little, show them your _vulnerable_ side, take them up the astronomy tower - you don't INNOVATE a lot… but I suppose that doesn't matter now, does it?”

Celestia went to protest, to contradict her, but as her sister spoke, everything became darker and darker, and the words wouldn't come. Eventually, she could no longer make out the stars, nor her sister's face, nor the words she was saying. Soon her vision went completely black, and the last thing she could see was Chrysalis.

Then everything was fire, and, for a moment, day broke.

* * *

“What do you MEAN you can't find her? LOOK AGAIN!”

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If you were to ask the guards of Canterlot castles about that day, they would have sworn to you that that unicorn nearly shouted the walls down. Others would say they appreciated the direction in all of the chaos - the direction away from her. Chrysalis barged a swath through the crowd so confidently and angrily no one dared to try stop her.

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“YOU'RE LUCKY I'M NOT ANGRIER YOU LET HER GET CELESTIA OUT FROM UNDER YOUR NOSES! Turn over the ROCKS, the FURNITURE, there MUST be something we've missed!”

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A terrified guard shrunk out of her path.

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“Celestia’s friend is very... intimidating.”

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“Tell me about it.” Kibitz said, patting on the guard’s back. “Better get going, soldier.”

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Chrysalis turned down the corner, causing Kibitz to bolt into a run to keep up with her.

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“Wait! Now, Rhipheus- will all of this- _wailing_ help us find the Princess any faster?”

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“I WOULD BE YELLING LESS IF YOUR HENCHMEN MOVED FASTER.” Chrysalis yelled as she ripped open Celestia's bedroom.

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She kept replaying that moment in her mind.

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Celestia was there one minute, talking to Chrysalis from behind the stage, the pair looking anxiously up at the moon. The next minute she was simply gone, a pitch-black puff of stardust the only sign she was ever there. Chrysalis remembered the stunned moment of silence afterwards, then the yelling for help, then the commotion. By the time she stumbled out of the back room and into the main hall, the news had already broken, and the ponies were all scattered to the wall as if a storm had passed through. To the partial relief and dismay of Chrysalis, Twilight was still present.

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Like a ghost in somepony else's body, she glided towards Twilight and her pet dragon, both standing infuriatingly still at the exit. As she got closer, Twilight's voice barely began to register over the ringing in Chrysalis’ ears.

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“Oh, think, Twilight, you know what to do… should I try to find the Elements? But I have no idea where they are…”

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A hoof spun Twilight around and suddenly she was being stared down by Celestia's friend, Rhipheus. The look in her face was grim and dark and distant.

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“If you do not try to find those ACCURSED Elements, I shall _personally_ assure the rest of your natural life will be spent SUFFERING. I mean this as harshly as possible, but I have absolutely NO doubts you will succeed.”

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Twilight blinked a few times in startled confusion before nodding profusely.

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“O-of course, Miss! Celestia needs me now! Come on, Spike!”

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As Twilight bolted out of the building, one thought kept running through Chrysalis’ mind.

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_Of course this would happen._

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She tumbled into Celestia's bedroom and slammed the door shut in Kibitz's face. She knew this would happen, but she was still surprised when the room was completely empty.

At the end of her road, the energy sucked out of her body, she shifted into her true form and fell onto Celestia's bed like a lifeless doll, her scent overpowering Chrysalis’ senses. Even in Ponyville, she knew Twilight would fail, and she knew following Celestia's love trail backwards would be fruitless, but she hadn't thought about what she would do with herself when she found the other end. All paths exhausted, Chrysalis grabbed a pillow and pushed it against her face.

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_You should have known relying on another would result in this, Chrysalis._

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“Shut up.”

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_This pain you're feeling right now? This is your punishment. This is the beginning of the end._

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“SHUT _UP_!”

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“...I thought you'd be happier to see me.”

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Chrysalis froze and peeled her face away from the pillow, looking towards the source of the voice. Sure enough, there stood Celestia at the balcony, a deep blue and half-awake alicorn slung over her shoulder. Chrysalis quickly threw the pillow in her hooves away and sprung reflexively off of Celestia's bed.

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“C-Celestia?”

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“I _told_ you Twilight had this.”

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“Don’t…” Chrysalis said, stumbling forward haggardly. “DO THAT AGAIN! Who is THIS then, HM? That trouble-making SISTER of yours?”

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Celestia hoisted Luna so that she was looking face-to-face with Chrysalis.

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“It's time to meet the family!” Celestia grinned, laughing a little nervously. “She's still a little wiped out, but…”

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Luna looked up meagerly and smirked.

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“Heh. Celestia, I've been gone a millenia’s time and thee are... _still_ bringing gothic mares to thy bedroom.”

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In unison, Celestia and Chrysalis’ faces caught ablaze and their bodies locked up in disbelief.

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“TH-TH-THAT IS NOT TRUE, DEAR SISTER! I KNOW NOT WHAT YOU IMPLY! SHE IS NOT EVEN GOTH!”

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“She has got the... mean girl look in her eyes. She's a mean girl. This is thy type, Celestia.”

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“LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE NEEDS A NAP!” Celestia shouted, dumping Luna onto the bed.

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Hurriedly, Chrysalis got up close and spoke directly into Luna’s face, shoving Celestia aside.

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“I am NOT dating Celestia, miss. It is EXTREMELY important to me that you know that I am NOT dating your sister.”

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But Luna was already asleep.

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“Oh, goodness, let it go.” Celestia sighed, walking up from behind. “If this is the same Luna from all those years ago, she's going to be making that joke for a VERY long time.”

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“Great.” Chrysalis grumbled, sitting down. “Talk about first impressions. And of course, I wasn't in a disguise.”

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“It's fine. She already knew you were a changeling.”

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Chrysalis stared into the distance as she slowly realized something about what had just happened didn't add up, and there was a pause as she put the pieces together. Eventually, one could see the light bulb go on in her head and she turned to Celestia.

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“Wait, you're… gay?”

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“Ah. You really don't know who Saddlepho is, don't you?”

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“No, I don't! Just answer the question!”

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Celestia laughed and sat down next to Chrysalis.

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“Fine, fine. I was planning to come out to you myself, but… _someone_ had to take things into her own hooves.” Celestia said, glancing angrily at the sleeping Luna. “But yes, I am. The one time I dated a stallion, it didn't end very well, and that was several centuries ago, so… I believe it is safe to say that stallions are not for me.”

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An uncomfortable moment of silence passed, the only sound the sound of Luna snoring as they stared at each other.

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“That's… not a problem, is it?”

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“Oh, no- of course not!”

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Chrysalis was sweating all of a sudden. That outpouring of love she had been using to track Celestia was suddenly of a far greater concern to her, and to make matters worse, if she didn't get her panic under control, then the completely wrong impression could be given off, and the situation would become irrevocably awkward.

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Chrysalis took a few deep breaths to regulate herself.

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“You're just... full of reveals, aren't you? Is there anything else you forgot to tell me about yourself, _princess_?”

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Celestia darted her eyes around the room, thinking for a moment.

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“Uh, well... not in that respect, I don't think? I guess I wouldn't exactly call myself monogamous, but that's not really an LGBT thing now, isn't it?”

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Chrysalis eyeballed Celestia suspiciously, flicking her eyes back and forth.

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“Should I be researching gothic fashion?”

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“Oh, no! No.” Celestia rubbed the back of her neck nervously and laughed. “You _really_ don't have to do that.”

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They laughed for a minute at Celestia's expense, but when that died out the conversation stopped abruptly, the pair staring at each other in silence. For a moment, Chrysalis remembered their unfinished business from earlier. She opened her mouth to speak, but she thought about what they had both just been through, and how much she treasured the moment of silence, and she thought against it.

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“Can you believe we survived today?”

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The stars were still shining beautifully in the night sky, but from where they sat next to each other they couldn't quite make it all out. To be frank, even with the carpet, the floor was quite uncomfortable. It was cold, unyielding, and nowhere near soft. They could have easily moved closer, found a more comfortable position than on the ground next to a sleeping Luna, maybe even found a pillow. 

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They stayed there for some time.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, geeze, that got pretty gnarly at points, huh? To be fair, that was the finale to Act 2 - “Sisters Ruin Everything”, so I guess you should have seen that coming. Oh well! Watch out for Act 3, by the way. It's - oh, it's a doozy. I really can't wait to show you! Until next time.


	10. Hit & Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what I think we need, dear reader? A break. Things have been getting a little crazy here, and I'm not even just talking about the story. Did you know there's a bunch of forest fires going on in California right now? That's weird. It's like Silent Hill outside right now. So let's have a breather! Nothing stressful happens in this chapter, guaranteed, and if it does, then email me for refunds. Have fun, kids.

“Luna, I'm being honest when I say I don't have feelings for her. Can you say that stuff quieter?”

Obviously, an adjustment period was in order. The moment Celestia thought life would finally be returning to normal, over a month after talks with Chrysalis had opened, a member of her family randomly decided they needed to crash at her castle. They found themselves in a room, the royal sisters observing a southern window, which opened out to a beautiful horizon. 

“If that be the case, then why have the two of you spent time together every other day the past week?” Luna said, carefully looking over her shoulder at Chrysalis, just out of earshot poking around the room. “Why is she with us _right now?_ ”

“We just got finished having a rough month. Is this how you're going to treat your sister?”

Dropping the blinds loudly, Luna glanced at Celestia smirked.

“If I recall correctly, _you_ imprisoned _me_ somewhere that was VERY cold. I believe that means I am the one with the playful mocking duties.”

Celestia grumbled hopelessly, not even bothering to point out why Luna was there in the first place. She was probably going to be hearing that one for a long time, no matter what she said.

“All right, all right, I love you too. Can you tell me what you think about this wallpaper, then?”

The bedroom was plastered with a red wallpaper that possessed a subtle and mature patterning. Luna turned slowly on the spot, frowning at the scarlet-red walls unfavorably. She rolled her eyes.

“Horrendous. Insulting, even. And how does this room not have a desk? If I'm going to take up my royal duties again, I'm going to need a desk.”

“Well, right now, we're just looking for a room so you can finally stop sleeping in the guest quarters. We can change it to your liking afterward, sister.”

Growing tired of fiddling with pillows, Chrysalis tossed them aside in a jumbled mess next to the royal bed. She glanced over, looking for something more interesting, and found the royal sisters chatting. Her hoof forced, lacking much else to do, she got up to join them.

“So this is how we're spending our time today, then?”

At the sound of Chrysalis’ voice, Celestia perked up. She wiped the frown from her face and quickly spun around to face her, playing up her excitement.

“It is! Kibitz told me about all of the yelling you did while I was kidnapped, Chrys. If you don't take time to relax, your heart is going to explode.”

“Two hearts. My superior biology has two hearts.”

“Either way! Taking this week off couldn't be anything but good for you. It's mandatory rest from Dr. Celestia!” Celestia said, wearing a big, exaggerated smile. Unable to sit back and watch this any longer, Luna leaned in between the two and made willful eye contact with Celestia. “... Luna, stop that.”

“This room is terrible, show me to another one.” Luna snapped, turning to walk out. “Do you have an observatory?”

In complete silence, Chrysalis had watched that little exchange unfold with a perturbed sense of curiosity, unable to decipher what the sisters were trying to communicate to each other. She followed Luna with her eyes, and the moment she left the room, Chrysalis turned to Celestia with a confused expression painted on her face.

“I… shouldn't have been so judgemental. I see now that the strangeness runs in the family.”

"Ah..." Celestia sighed a sigh that half-sounded like a laugh. “You don't even know the half of it.”

As they made to follow, they found Luna waiting in the hall, stopped quickly by a quite beleaguered Kibitz. Upon seeing Celestia and Chrysalis following close behind, he jumped into action.

“Princess! Why are you still- I'm not even going to ask that anymore. Your scheduled luncheon with Fancy Pants was today. Just so you know.” Kibitz muttered nonchalantly, causing Celestia to rear up in dismay.

“Oh no!” She exclaimed. “But I'm spending quality time with friends! But that's supposed to be an important luncheon...”

Unfazed, Luna turned around and casually shrugged.

“I don't see the problem. Let us all go.”

At that, Chrysalis froze solid, as if Luna's voice brought a chill into the hall.

“All of us?”

“Oh, of course, I'm sure he would love that! And it seems we're in agreement. Great idea, Luna.” Celestia said, patting her sister on the back.

The sisters immediately started walking off down the hall, leaving a perturbed Chrysalis lagging behind.

“That- that doesn't answer my question! Hey!” Chrysalis shouted, taking a few steps forward before noticing Kibitz side-eyeing her. “ _What?_ ”

* * *

The weather outside that day was blinding, the agonizing heat of the sun seeming to cause space itself to ripple and bend under its weight. Despite the time of day, the streets were completely empty, the usual residents seeking escape from the heat.

Along the way, a hooded pony from the corner of a nearby shadow caught Celestia's attention and they locked eyes. The moment lasted no longer than a second but it felt like hours, stretching on forever, Celestia's piercing gaze shooting right through them. The pony eventually walked off, but for some reason she couldn't identify, she made sure to watch him leave.

When they finally arrived at the restaurant, _Le Pan de Fantaisie_ , it was found to be disturbingly empty. It even appeared the restaurant was understaffed, the single pony they saw being the one that took them to their table. Celestia was certain they were on time, just a few minutes late, but she couldn't stop glancing at the clock out of the feeling she was missing something very important. As time passed, idle chatter gradually broke out.

“So his name is _Fancy Pants_.”

“You say that like it's weird.” Celestia said with a bemused smirk.

“It's _Fancy Pants!_ ” Chrysalis sputtered, unable to express her disbelief. “Why would… d-does he even WEAR pants?”

“No? Why?”

“ _Celestia!_ ”

Yet even more time passed, and the trio did not see a single soul pass by. At this point Celestia had her schedule out on the table, cross-referencing the time and the address and, bewilderingly, still finding no discrepancy.

“This is so odd… first my book goes missing, now this?”

“Book?” Chrysalis tilted her head.

“Yeah! That one weird book, with, like, the wood on it? Anyway, I was hoping the odd occurrences would have stopped once Luna returned, but I fear that might not have happened.”

“Never heard of it.”

Shifting awkwardly in her seat, Luna scanned the room looking at the other empty tables.

“Hm. Oddities notwithstanding, I hope we didn't rush over here just to get stood up.” She groused. “I could be selecting my desk right now.”

“Well, if Mr. Fun Fun Pants isn't going to show, and we're going to resort to idle chatter...” Chrysalis began, clapping her hooves together and shooting a glance towards Celestia. “I can't believe you want to meet every SINGLE one of them, Celestia.”

“Oh, here we go.” Celestia scoffed, rolling her eyes without turning away from her schedule. 

“What?” Luna said, looking between the two with confusion. “Meet who?”

“It's nothing! Celestia simply wants to meet all of my changelings and she's refusing to move forward on the treaty without it. And we were so close to signing, too!”

Luna shrugged nonchalantly.

“You're correct. That does sound quite tedious.”

“I don't know what you mean! It's completely reasonable.”

Witnessing the alliances of the table quickly turning against her, Celestia finally peeled away from the paper in front of her and sighed. Damage control was nothing new for a Princess, and neither was it new to her facing off against ponies so dear to her.

“Look, you girls simply don't realize how important it is to acquaint yourself with the civilians, _especially_ if you're going to be establishing trade routes and raising up arms for them. Maybe it seems silly, yes, but there's a reason I've ruled for a thousand years unopposed.” Celestia bragged, her posture suddenly becoming stately and controlled. “And here I thought _I_ focused on work too much. You know what would simplify the process, Chrys?”

“What?”

“You could show me to your Hive! I could even meet _your_ family.”

At that moment, everything became still all at once. Something about Celestia's response struck a sour note, and Chrysalis banged her hooves against the table, clamming up like she’d just seen a ghost.

“NO! I mean, uh- no. That... wouldn't be necessary.” She wiped the sweat from her brow and readjusted herself. “The… the only family I have are my changelings and, well, you… don't have to go all that way just to meet them! Heh.”

The silence around the table was much more apparent now, the sisters leaning away from Chrysalis in surprise. Chrysalis and Celestia locked eyes, sharing a few unspoken words, then Celestia looked at Luna and they both nodded.

“Alright. New subject.”

At that moment, finally, somepony else appeared; a pair of waiters, one nearly hopping over to their table, the other moving with a begrudging pace. The bouncing one exuded an energy that could only be described as ‘overwhelmingly youthful’, lacking any grace or subtlety, acting as a strong contrast to their dour, businesslike compatriot.

“Goodness, finally.” Chrysalis groaned. “Do you have ANY idea where everypony is? It's nearly been half an hour.”

The lively waiter jumped up at the question.

“Oh, uhh… I don't know! I'll go ask the higher-ups!”

But they didn't, and they stood for a moment too long at Chrysalis’ side. They stared at each other, the waiter displaying a baffling excitement that infuriated and confounded her, an excitement that only seemed to grow as Chrysalis looked at them. Eventually, Chrysalis could no longer abide the silence.

“What? What's wrong with you? What did you want n-” She paused as she caught eye contact, then it finally hit her, and she gasped. “Oh for the love of- _Chitin?_ ”

Chitin bounced giddily in place as Chrysalis recognized them.

“Hi, mo- my Queen! Yeah! It's m-”

“Keep your voice down!” Chrysalis whispered, putting a hoof to Chitin's mouth. “Chitin what are you _doing_ here? Who is this you are with?”

“Stinger!”

“ _WHO?_ ”

“Rhipheus?” Celestia said inquisitively, leaning over. “Did you know this pony?”

Once again, Celestia's friendship seemed to put Chrysalis in quite the awkward situation. Chrysalis wiped more sweat from her forehead and smiled nervously.

“Oh, uh, don't worry about this one, Celestia! They're, they're… odd.”

“Is that PRINCESS CELESTIA?”

Seeing the excitement in her civilian's expression, Celestia grew a gentle smile and nodded.

“Why, yes it is. And who might you be, little one?”

Taking a proud pose, Luna readied herself to be noticed next, but her hopes were dashed as Chrysalis cut in.

“Oh, ditch the routine. This is Chitin, one of my changelings _who I didn't tell to follow me_ , and this is Stinger, _somepony who should know better_.”

Stinger remained still like a statue, almost as if he was trying to disappear into stone. Chitin, however, jumped and saluted, completely missing the annoyance in Chrysalis’ voice and Luna's disappointed slump.

“Yep! I'm Chitin!”

“ _Really?_ ” Celestia gasped, her eyes lighting up. “I was right when I said little one! What are you doing here, Chitin?”

“Well, Stinger said my Queen might be homesick, and we couldn't just let that slide!” 

“That's so sweet! Stinger, how are-” Celestia stopped as they made eye contact, something sharp in his eyes catching her off guard. “Ah. Understood.”

_Well, this one is definitely Chrysalis’ son._

Unable to withstand the moment of silence, Chitin interjected.

“Yep, it's pretty sweet! I'm sorry we're late, though, we thought you went to _Lè Pan de Fantaisie_ , but you guys actually went to _Le Pan de Fantaisie!_ ”

At this revelation, Luna took her head off of her hoof and frowned.

“Halt. There are TWO restaurants named _Le Pan de Fantaisie_? Are we hearing thee correctly?”

“Yeah! Well, no. There's _Le Pan de Fantaisie_ and then there's _Lè Pan de Fantaisie_. Why?”

The shade afforded by the archways overhead was something of a blessing and a curse. It afforded a reprieve from the unrelenting heat of the sun, but something about the rampant darkness left one on edge. Chrysalis was relieved she sent her changelings back to the Hive, and even Luna seemed to wary of their surroundings.

“I see that the royalty is reduced to running between estates when flying there would do the job.”

“Ah, yes, but this is the route to beat, dear sister. It’s fast, it's shaded, and it's discreet. I know this city inside and out.” Celestia said, sprinting with overt confidence. 

“It's impressive that an intellect such as yours can manage to forget massive swaths of her own schedule, Celestia.”

“Thank you? This reminds me, I must remember to send off Twilight's tickets to the Gala after this...”

Chrysalis scrunched her nose and sneered disdainfully as she passed under another arch.

“Oh, heavens. Please don't tell me you _ponies_ have another big, obnoxious celebration around the corner already.”

Celestia skid to a halt and turned around, stopping the trio in their tracks.

“Don't worry, it's not actually for another 3 months! The Grand Galloping Gala is a big event with even bigger attendants, so we try to give them some leeway. Believe me, I'm not looking forward to it either.”

“Hmph. Then I don't see why you must attend.”

The thought was an appealing one to Celestia, but as soon as she started to entertain it she could already hear Kibitz scolding her about her ‘duties as a princess’. 

“Well... I suppose it's not as simple as ‘don't attend’. My presence is symbolic, and even the lack of it would make a statement.”

“That sounds like something your butler told you.”

“That's not true.”

“Whatever. It's your funer-”

Just then, out of the corner of her eye, Chrysalis saw the flash of light off metal, and for a moment everything was a blur of sound and movement. Suddenly, there was a hooded figure next to her, then she blinked and Celestia was there, in between them, then Celestia was deflecting the figure away with her wings and throwing them against the wall with a resounding crunch. Without skipping a beat, Luna followed her sister's lead and strung up the assailant, holding him aloft.

“ _Kneel_ , fiend!”

The target neutralized, Celestia spun around to look at Chrysalis, her expression stricken with fear.

“Oh, _no_ , are you okay?”

Everything sounded hollow, _Celestia_ sounded hollow, and her own arrested breathing was the loudest thing in Chrysalis’ ears. Nothing made sense yet, and something scared inside of her began to scream.

“I- I- I DON'T... _NEED_ YOUR _PROTECTION!_ ”

“Chrysalis, you're _bleeding!_ ”

At first Chrysalis thought to criticize Celestia for not calling her Rhipheus, out here, in the open, but then the content of her statement found purchase. Chrysalis slowly gazed down, shaking from adrenaline, and there she saw, plain as day, a line of glowing green smudged across the base of her neck. It was then she felt the jolt of pain run through her, as if the wound finally registered, as if she hadn't actually been stabbed until now.

She looked back up at Celestia, managing to force out a single, creaky noise.

“Oh.”

Celestia rushed forward with the blink of an eye and caught Chrysalis as she meekly fell back to the ground.

“I've got you, okay? Are you okay?”

The warmth of Celestia wrapping herself around Chrysalis sharpened her vision and brought her back to reality, if for a moment.

“I'm okay. I'm- okay.”

Celestia exhaled. Hearing Chrysalis’ voice was soothing, but the sight of her blood struck Celestia in the heart. The world began to slow to a crawl as she held Chrysalis, her panic gradually dissolving into grief. That grief, however, did not dwell inside her long. 

Carefully placing her down, Celestia turned and bore down upon the assailant, the burning dots she called pupils flickering like flame, every step threatening to break the pavement. For a moment, it was almost like Celestia was bigger than herself, arcs of light from the sun above her cascading from her crown.

“What did you do to her? What did you _DO?_ ”

“Celestia, _no!_ ” Luna shouted, jumping in front of her sister and barely managing to hold her back. “It's over, sister! What matters now is we ensure Chrysalis is STABLE!”

“Let me _go!_ ”

Celestia wrestled against her sister for a moment, the light seeming to threaten to wash over Luna, but the interference was just enough that Celestia snapped back into reality, returning her to her body. She shook her head and looked Luna in the eyes, the flame disappearing from her vision.

“Celestia? Is something wrong?”

“No. What- what happened?”

* * *

“Must you do this? I'm an adult, I wasn't hatched yesterday.”

Chrysalis wasn't the easiest mare to triage in the world. Her biology wasn't exactly the same as a pony’s, and her constant fidgeting was no help, but Luna did not give up easily.

“Quit whining, you're lucky it wasn't deeper. Believe me, were I in this situation, I would want to patch myself up too. But Celestia would throw a fit if neither of us helped.”

At the mention of her name, Celestia looked up from the corner she sat nervously in, before returning to her slump.

“Hmph. See, you understand. I'm just glad it's not HER doing this. You'd think Celestia was convinced we were made of glass.” Chrysalis huffed, pausing for a moment. “Now that I think about it, we have a lot in common, don't we? Similar demeanors. Similar style choices.”

“Yes, you're right.” Luna said, glancing at her unsuspecting sister with a devious smirk before continuing. “We should ‘hang out’ more. I believe Celestia would love that.”

As Luna got back to work, the sound of hooves caught her attention, and they both looked up to see that Celestia was now standing right behind them. Luna tightened her expression, afraid she had been caught plotting against her sister.

“Greetings, uh... Celestia.”

“Luna. Thank you, But I should be the one doing this.”

“Oh, really?” Luna said, going to resist, but she bit her tongue, something about the seriousness in Celestia's face telling her to go easy just this once. She held the end of the needle aloft in front of her sister's face, the razor-sharp point glinting in the light. “Fine. You finish this stitch, then. Apparently, you should try to keep it under her carapace.”

“Oh, joy. I thought you were on MY side, Luna.”

Ignoring Chrysalis’ sarcastic quip, Celestia pulled the thread taught, not pulling strongly enough to hurt her, but pulling strongly enough to show her the Princess meant business. Celestia sat down next to Chrysalis briskly and started working away.

“We're going to pick that assailant apart and figure out why he did what he did to you, Chrysalis, and find out who if anypony hired him.” Celestia's threading marched like a soldier along the rhythm of her voice. “This happened under my supervision, directly as a result of my decisions. Not only does Canterlot take full responsibility for this, but I do as well. If there's anything I can do to make up for it, I'd like to know.”

Like the fish at the end of a hook, Chrysalis was reeled in by Celestia's shift in demeanor, and, for a second, she couldn't think straight. To her benefit, she felt her face begin to go green, spooking her hard enough to ground herself again. Thinking on her hooves, she quizzically rose an eyebrow.

“Ah, I see... Canterlot, at the beck and call of Queen Chrysalis? I can see the headlines now.”

Despite herself, Celestia cracked a little smile.

“Gosh, Chrys. Be serious.” She sighed wistfully as she pulled another stitch through. “Nah, I'll take that back. Today would have been dreadfully boring without you, and you did just get stabbed. Keep the sarcasm up.”

A loud cough caused Celestia to turn around, and there, staring her in the face, was Luna, crossing her forelegs. Celestia's smile quickly disappeared.

“Luna, stop that.”

“Stop what?”

“You know what.”

“Can somepony please tell me what's happening.”

The sisters looked at Chrysalis with surprise before breaking into laughter, much to her chagrin. Somewhere, above the three of them, a star began to shine even brighter.


	11. Rise & Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's getting pretty chilly out, huh? After recent fire-based events, I really think we just need to take a moment to relax, reader. That's what this story is all about, relaxing and having a good time. Can't say I can think of a moment that might contradict that. 
> 
> Anyway, I'll stop rambling. It's been a minute since I last looked over this chapter, but I'm pretty sure you're going to have a lot of fun. Or... maybe this will be terribly stressful. I guess we'll have to take those odds. I mean, they worked out last time. I'm sure.

“I am putting my HOOF DOWN!”

Night approached quickly, darkness blanketing over Equestria like an unfaltering veil doggedly chasing the retreating sun. Luna looked up wistfully to the moon, its surface now free of her face, as she stood from the tower she now called home. Rain clouds were gathering on the horizon now, but before she could inspect them, the sound of shouting caught Luna's attention, and she gazed back down to the earth to witness Kibitz and Celestia arguing through a window down below. Her stance shifted from pensive to apprehensive, nerves taking hold.

“Ever since that BLASTED mare walked into your life, she's been causing TROUBLE! You forget your schedule, you fall asleep during conferences, you operate without guards...” Kibitz sputtered, his frustration overtaking him for a moment. “A-And it STILL hasn't stopped, and I fear it will only get worse! Even AFTER entering your silly ‘alliance’ with her, you’ve-”

Her patience worn thin, Celestia pulled away from the window and snapped at her advisor.

“You think our alliance SILLY, Kibitz?”

Kibitz stopped in place and blinked with surprise as if he hadn't realized what he’d just said. Thinking for a moment, he narrowed his eyes and recommitted his stance.

“Yes! As a matter of fact, yes, I DO! She's going to stab you in the back one of these days and all you'll have to blame is YOURSELF! Right now, even- you've left her unattended in your quarters, she could be doing _anything!_ ”

Closing her eyes, Celestia winced, biting back her anger and swallowing it. She let out a haggard breath of air before continuing.

“Look. _She_ was the one injured, Kibitz, not me. Ugh, she's the one that should be scared! I will not STAND for this insubordination, she ISN'T the problem.”

Noticing the passion with which the Princess was speaking, Kibitz caught himself from another outburst, taking a moment of his own to regain his composure. Obviously, Celestia wasn't going to respond to this approach.

“This is all I'm trying to say. You have been kidnapped and have had an encounter with an assassin each within the span of a _week_. So I am not saying this as your advisor, I am saying this as your friend. I know I ultimately have no power to control your actions, but please. Please let me serve two Princesses and not one.” Kibitz spoke in a measured, controlled tone, quelching any trace of anger from his words. There was a second where he thought he might be getting through to her, the look on her face one of thoughtful consideration. But as soon as he finished speaking, Celestia turned up her nose and made for the exit, stopping at the open door with a flourish to stare back at him.

“I will take your request into consideration.”

And, coldly, she shut the door behind herself, leaving Kibitz behind in the darkened room.

Celestia was on a mission now. Determined, she glided down the hall and turned at the end without looking at the signs, certain of where she was going. There, she caught a glimpse of Chrysalis through a crack in a door and gave pause, stumbling backwards as if she had run into a wall. She carefully crept closer to see Chrysalis had removed her bandages and was gazing down, drawing Celestia's eyes towards the clean break in her carapace. Celestia stood there, completely frozen, watching the somber rise and fall of Chrysalis’ chest, a moment crystallized in time as guilt upwelled in her own.

Shaking herself out of the trance, she turned to face down the hallway, emboldening herself. Celestia _had_ to make things right, now. Reaching a pair of double doors, she burst through and found herself in a small room with a handful of cells. In that exact moment, her sister flew in through a nearby window and landed precisely in front of her, cool night air following the Princess inside.

“Celestia! Are you okay, sister? I heard yelling, and you seem… unwell.”

“Oh, hi, Luna!” Celestia said with a big, fake smile. “I'm fine! Why wouldn't I be fine? It's time to dig into some fun, well-mannered interrogation, after all!”

“I… see.”

Celestia produced a key and inserted it into the steel bars in front of her, unlocking them with a loud clunk. They creaked open, revealing a table, behind which an Earth stallion was chained to a chair. Luna walked ahead of Celestia, approaching the assailant but keeping a reasonable distance.

“Well, on that front, he's not talking.” She stated matter-of-factly, brushing the stallion’s hair aside to reveal a bright red magical seal, stamped onto his forehead in the shape of a diamond. “He's been afflicted with a Geas. None of the court unicorns have been able to crack it.”

Celestia's eyes lit up with intrigue.

“Mission magic, huh…? That's heavy duty stuff.” She spoke, a bizarre sense of wonder in her voice. “Have we figured out his identity yet?”

As if she were anticipating the question, Luna tossed a file onto the table with a thunk.

“Rustic Dream. Missing Ponies says he disappeared just over a month ago. If we assume he's been under the Geas for that entire period, then somepony has gone through the measures to ensure this spell is sturdy enough to-”

Just then, the mark on Rustic’s forehead swelled and turned golden as Celestia began bombarding it with magical energy. Within seconds, the overloaded Geas popped out of existence with a shower of sparks, the glassiness in its victim’s eyes disappearing.

“Nevermind.”

“Hello there, Rustic! I was hoping you could help us.”

Rustic Dream blinked a few times, as if his vision had finally cleared. He looked up at the two fuzzy blobs standing before him, bewilderment on his face.

“What the… guh… hay’s goin’ on here?”

One of the blobs leaned onto the table, and Princess Celestia of all ponies came into view. Her stance was non-threatening, the way she lightly placed her hoof onto the table implying sympathy.

“You've… had quite the adventure. I need to know what you remember so that I might help.”

Despite the odd situation, Rustic nodded eagerly. After all, who could say no to the Princess? He probed his mind, and a vivid flood of images bombarded him. Sure enough, everything was there still, as much as he tried to detach himself, as much as he... wished he could forget. He could even remember the way the dagger felt to wield, the way it felt when he...

“Everythin’. I remember everythin’, okay? I... don't want to think about it. Just let me go.”

“Of course. This must have been... a terrible experience. We’ll untie you, it's simply important you tell us who placed this Geas upon-”

Celestia was cut short by Luna abruptly slamming her hooves upon the table with a massive bang.

“ _WHO DOEST THOU SERVE? _”__

____

“ _Luna!_ ”

____

“Agh, fine! I was gonna tell ya! Sheeze-Louise.” Rustic said, reaching for his hair as if he meant to reach for a hat that wasn't there. “Well, uh… I reckon I was in Canterlot on, y'know, business. But when I got to the job, the guy nabbed me and put that... dagger in my hooves. Old unicorn feller. Now’s that good enough?”

____

The sisters shared a glance, Luna shooting a self-satisfied look at Celestia, who was shooting daggers right back.

____

“See? Always works.” Luna bragged, unlocking Rustic's chains. “WE HAVE FOUND THEE INNOCENT OF ATTEMPTED REGICIDE, UPON CONFIRMATION OF SUBSUMED WILL BY WAY OF ENCHANTMENT. MAY EQUESTRIA WATCH OVER THEE.”

____

Poor Rustic was rattled by Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice, but Celestia stood completely unfazed, shaking her head in a way that was both loving and annoyed.

____

“Never change, sister.”

____

Elsewhere, somepony was skulking around the castle where she shouldn't, creeping and crawling around the corners like a snake, something that did not escape the castle's notice. With every howling step the halls howled back, a cacophony of echoes acting like an alarm as the intruder advanced. Then, all at once, the howling ceased.

____

“Out of my way, servant. I must speak with Celestia posthaste.”

____

Chrysalis, despite her infirm state, still towered over the small Kibitz, who was completely housed within her shadow. Kibitz, however, remained unflinching, standing between Chrysalis and the double doors like a stone wall.

____

“Oh, you didn't know? I hate to be the one to tell you this, but... Celestia simply doesn't have anymore time in her schedule for you today. Or ever again, perhaps.”

____

A jolt ran through Chrysalis’ body as if she were stabbed again, her muscles tensing up with fear.

____

“ _What?_ ”

____

“Yes. She's undergoing a bit of a… restructuring of her priorities, I'm afraid. Near-death experiences do that to a Princess, you know.”

____

Chrysalis’ shadow seemed to grow darker and more twisted, crawling up the wall behind Kibitz, grasping at his neck with poison-drenched fangs. Soon the only thing he could see was the glowing of her serpentine eyes, angry, and carved like emeralds.

____

“You will get out of my way. You will leave this place. You will forget whatever petty notion you have lodged in your skull. I will forget this digression.”

____

Unfazed, Kibitz sighed.

____

“Fine fine, you're quite scary. Don't take it from me, then.”

____

Then he finally, mercifully, walked off, allowing Chrysalis through the door behind him. Eagerly, she shoved herself through haphazardly, entering a small room which lead quickly to a steel pair of double doors.

____

“Before you leave, there's a few more things we must discuss, sister.” Luna said, producing a dagger from under the table, the blade still possessing a faded green tint. Celestia's expression turned grim at the sight.

____

“I must be subjected to this again?”

____

“Unfortunately. Somepony's inscribed a message upon the blade, it seems. I hazard a guess that it's important.”

____

Celestia perked up a little bit at the mention of intrigue, though she was still obviously quite displeased. Running her eyes along the length of the dagger, she read a single word, written in Undercommon using big, blocky letters: ‘Regards’.

____

“... Regards?” Celestia said with a bewildered tilt. “ _Undercommon?_ ”

____

“I can't say I'm as surprised your lady friend has enemies in the Underdark.” Luna said, mercifully retrieving the dagger. “And this brings me to my next point, rather directly. I won't judge you for who you associate with. I learned to accept it a long time ago. But these sorts of ponies are magnets for danger, and you must learn how to handle when danger happens to them.”

____

A number of emotions ran through Celestia as Luna's words took their turn, the primary emotion being surprise, quickly followed by weariness. She closed her eyes as the last of the energy drained from her face.

____

“You too, sister?”

____

“Yes, me too. I'm worried, Celestia. Speaking as another pony that struggles with impulsivity, I simply fear the anger you displayed is a sign that-”

____

In an instant, massive wings sprung out from Celestia's sides, silencing Luna mid-sentence. When Celestia re-opened her eyes, they burned, possessing an unfazed determination.

____

“I appreciate the concern, sister, but I'm fine. Let's just focus on Chrysalis, okay? In fact, I'm fairly certain I need to check on her injury soon.”

____

Spinning around on the spot, Celestia approached the bars to leave, but she was quickly stopped by a deep blue aura, grabbing her shoulder and keeping her in place.

____

“You care about ponies, Celestia. I'm not telling you to stop doing that. Just don't let it loosen your grip on yourself.”

____

Celestia turned her head to look her sister in the eyes, and when she did, sincerity stared back. Failing to maintain her composure, Celestia smiled nervously.

____

“... I'll try, sister.”

____

At some point, a light, seasonally-off drizzle had begun outside. Chrysalis, wishing to avoid detection once again, crept carefully to the double doors, her steps utterly silent. It was agonizing, to be sure, but it seemed to be working, her goal within reach now, rapidly approaching with every second. But as she reached out slowly, methodically, the doors swung open, Celestia suddenly appearing from the other side.

____

“Oh, Chrys!” She gushed with a pleased surprise that was quickly curtailed as if she had just been struck in the chest. “Just the… mare I wanted to see.”

____

The downturn in Celestia's ardor did not go unnoticed, and Chrysalis could feel a nagging itch begin to develop in the back of her throat as she bore her teeth.

____

“Okay, hi. What's wrong.”

____

“Hm?” Celestia blinked innocently. “I don't know what you mean.”

____

“You're not subtle. Something is wrong.”

____

Walking out of the threshold, Celestia smoothly shut the doors behind her.

____

“I'm being honest, I'm fine!” She said with a snort. “I don't know why everypony is worried about me when _you're_ the one that got stabbed.”

____

At the mention of the word, Chrysalis winced.

____

“I agree with their judgment.”

____

“Well I don't! Let me check that wound, missy.” Celestia said, making for the cloth applied to Chrysalis’ neck. In response, Chrysalis deftly pulled away from Celestia's grasp and curled protectively around her wound.

____

“Hey! Do you even know what you're looking for?”

____

Long anticipating the question, Celestia eagerly produced Starswirl's Monster Manual with a flash of light, the book spinning in place and dramatically popping open.

____

“No, but this book has a section on changelings, so maybe that’ll help!”

____

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow in disbelief, dozens of tattered pages flying in front of her.

____

“Really?”

____

“Yeah, right here!” Celestia said, stopping at a bookmarked page. “Say, do you recognize whoever this drawing is of?”

____

“Celestia, that's-” Chrysalis stopped cold, as if she had just been stabbed in the chest the moment she eyed over the image. Her hearts sank into the marshy waters of her stomach, and the buzzing in her mind magnified until she was forced to look away and back into Celestia's eyes. “N-No. I... can't say I do. Not all changelings know each other, Celestia.”

____

Noting Chrysalis’ displeased response, Celestia retracted the book quickly, pointing it back towards herself.

____

“Oh. Fair enough.” She said, flipping through a few pages. “Well, it seems like this book doesn't have anything about changeling medicine, but it does say you're… resistant to poison damage? So maybe we don't have to worry about infections?”

____

“No, but we must be wary of the alignment of my carapace. It can, uh… fuse back together wrong.”

____

“Ah, I can see how that makes sense. Guess we won't really know until we look!” 

____

The measures thoroughly taken now, at long last the bandages came off, Celestia carefully pulling them away from Chrysalis’ neck. The cut had not fully healed yet, but even so, it looked clean, and from a glance it appeared the alignment was correct. 

____

It struck Celestia in that moment that she had never scrutinized Chrysalis’ body quite like this before; not this close, at least. She had never really appreciated how regal Chrysalis was, either; how she managed to seem controlled and careful whilst also coming across chaotic and... dangerous. And, in a weird way, how her sleek curves possessed a certain rhythm that almost appeared... and then Celestia's eyes moved back up and caught with Chrysalis’, who was shooting her a suspicious glare right back.

____

“Is there a problem?”

____

Muted panic rose as Celestia's face flushed red and her eyes danced around the room, unable to withstand looking at Chrysalis again for even a second.

____

_WHAT HAVE I DONE?_

____

“Um, uh, w-well… no! Everything's fine!” Biting her lip, Celestia managed to look back at the cut, the reality of the situation bringing her back to the ground. “Gosh. I'm... I'm really sorry about all this. You only got hurt because… you were associating with me.”

____

Chrysalis rolled her eyes, seeing right through Celestia’s words. A small part of her felt strangely relieved to hear Celestia say that, but an even smaller, stranger part of her was disappointed.

____

“Ah. I see now. This is EXACTLY what I mean when I say you're not subtle, Celestia.”

____

The Princess froze in place, feeling the crosshairs glide onto her forehead.

____

“What? What do you mean?”

____

“Don't play dumb!” Chrysalis said as she crossed her forelegs, shoving Celestia's out of the way. “What shall I do, then, hm? Run away, never speak to you again? Because you're the most dangerous thing in my life right now?”

____

Celestia sputtered for a second, unsure how to edge in a response between Chrysalis’ accusatory barrage of questions.

____

_Gee, she caught on to THAT, huh? I'm not sure what I would have preferred..._

____

“Look, it's, uh… it's not as simple as you're making it out to be! I'm dangerous!”

____

“If that is the case, then _illuminate_ me.” Chrysalis growled with her half-lidded, unimpressed, beautiful eyes.

____

“It's like… like…!” Celestia began, clapping Starswirl's book shut and pressing it against her chest. “My sister has been in the moon for 1000 years, you know? What's left of my brother’s been a statue for even longer. And there's everypony else, including you, now, and that's because… when ponies get too close to me, they have a habit of getting burned. That's what I mean.”

____

There was a pause as Chrysalis stared at Celestia, forelegs still firmly crossed, cogs audibly turning in her head. She blinked, as if to signal she had finally digested the information she had been given.

____

“You do have your sister back, you know.”

____

“Yes, and that's thanks to you. You solved something that I couldn't for a thousand years, and... you did it in mere minutes.”

____

Chrysalis clicked her tongue in annoyance, throwing her forelegs into the air.

____

“Ugh! Whatever. It's irrelevant. How many times do I have to tell you to stop blaming yourself for the bad things that happen to you? Sometimes they just HAPPEN, regardless of anything you've DONE, and you shouldn't mope around feeling like a PROBLEM, because it doesn't mean you're CURSED!”

____

And, like that, Celestia went quiet. Despite the barbs, she was taken aback, amazed by how Chrysalis had just effortlessly cut through her paranoia like a blade. She broke a wry smile.

____

“Heh. Well… other than the actual curse, of course.”

____

Despite her intensely serious state, Chrysalis lightly broke a smirk that squeezed at Celestia's heart.

____

“Okay. Yes, other than the actual curse. But that's a blood curse, not a ‘I hurt everyone around me’ curse, now, isn't it?”

____

“Ha, sure.” Celestia laughed nervously, anxiously poking her hoof against her tightening chest. “But... maybe that's splitting hairs.”

____

There was an awkward moment of silence as Celestia, now rubbing her leg, was unable to really keep still, as if she was filling up with nervous energy. The only sound between the two was the pitter-patter of rain against the window then, the rhythm following the beat of their hearts. Unable to abide the tension a second longer, Chrysalis groaned.

____

“What now.”

____

“Ha, well... I'm about to hug you. I-Is that okay?”

____

Chrysalis’ eyebrows went up, not expecting _that_. There Celestia went again, acting completely strange. It must be contagious.

____

“I won't hug back. I'm a bad hugger.”

____

Celestia perked up as if she wasn't expecting an affirmative response and she smiled.

____

“Fine by me!”

____

Hardly wasting a second, she unfolded her wings and swept in with a blur as if a part of Celestia had been waiting years to do this. To Chrysalis it almost seemed like Celestia had doubled in size with an instant, only giving Chrysalis a moment to jump in surprise before Celestia was wrapped all around her.

____

It was jarring at first, this sensation known as a ‘hug’; two bodies pressed together, not a trace of hostility. Chrysalis’ first instinct was to resist, to pull back and away and try to run, but it was already far too late. As one might expect, Celestia possessed a heightened body heat, and her feathers were sickeningly soft, almost like they were made of pillows. However, despite how much she tried to convince herself, she couldn't make herself feel like it was unpleasant to feel. Bizarrely, Chrysalis could even feel herself _enjoying_ the experience, and despite her own words, she slowly began to hug Celestia back. 

____

After all, how could she possibly resist? Celestia was just so big, and so warm, engulfing Chrysalis wholly and blocking out the entire world. She dared to close her eyes - for just a moment - and her bodily pain began to fade, and for the first time in ages her mind stopped buzzing. In that moment of dropped guards, in that exact instance where she could feel herself give a modicum of affection back, the image of that changeling flashed through her mind.

____

_Do you want it to happen again?_

____

Chrysalis snapped her eyes open in a panic, ripping herself away from Celestia with a gasp. Celestia blinked in surprise, the sudden movement jarring.

____

“Oh, uh- oh no, did I... touch your cut?”

____

“... uh, y-yeah.” Chrysalis muttered, covering her mouth as that image kept flashing in her mind. “You did.”

____

_What was I… why did that feel..._

____

She could feel her throat begin to close up, as if all of a sudden she had grown uncomfortably self-aware. It took until now for Chrysalis to realize the things she had just said and done, the things she had been doing and saying all this time. When had the lines blurred so far, and how had she not noticed until now? Now, after she had already been punished for it?

____

These thoughts assaulted her, seeming to multiply as she tried to force them back, and, as she recoiled, a flash of lightning struck outside. Before she knew it, she was near the window, several feet away from a concerned Celestia. 

____

It rained so hard that night.

____


	12. Far & Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not going to mince words. Finals start for me tomorrow. And I literally do mean tomorrow, my first final is tomorrow.
> 
> But hey, it's the season of giving, and I have fans! I can't disappoint NOW. So incredibly, irreversibly, here's the next installment of my story, the longest chapter I've written yet - so don't say I've never done anything for you! Anyway, I have an incomprehensible amount of physics to cram. Wish me luck.

The sky looked as if it had been shattered, clusters breaking off and falling to the ground to reveal the sunlight from behind. Luckily, the counter offense had been successful, and with a twisted, creaking roar, the beast fell to the ground, its hulking mass falling just short of the comparably small Alicorn that had been cowering in its shadow just a moment before. The creature, at last neutralized, decomposed into a community of doves that flew up towards the sky and disappeared. As the last one moved out of sight, everything turned starkly silent all at once.

The situation now handled, Luna landed gracefully next to a frankly quite disturbed Celestia. Seeing her disquieted state, Luna placed a reassuring hoof on her sister's shoulder.

“I must say, that was the worst one yet. You poor thing.”

Meekly, Celestia dusted the debris off of her coat.

“Yes, uh… thanks for the help, sister. You really didn't need to do this.”

Amused by the thought, Luna scoffed.

“You know that's not even _remotely_ true.” She said, crossing her forelegs and closing her eyes. “Ever since I'd returned you hadn't a single nightmare, but Chrysalis goes AWOL for a fortnight and they become a distinct regularity. Oh, and did I use that correctly? AWOL?”

“You did.”

“Splendid.” Luna smiled proudly. “But yes, it would have been cruel of me to not assist you. Now, if I'm not mistaken, this nightmare was _distinctly_ about Chrysalis not being into mares then getting destroyed by a massive creature composed of doves. Must you truly maintain this charade?”

Reflexively, Celestia sprung up out of her spot and meandered towards the crater left behind by her nightmare.

“Yep. If you keep this up I'll have to antagonize you about those girls you met the other day.”

Luna sputtered as her face turned bright red, bolting up to pursue Celestia.

“That was _strictly business!_ ”

“If you say so, sister!” Celestia said with a lyrical tone, flashing a gleaming smile back at Luna before scampering off.

“ _Get back here!_ I had a party to plan!”

And so the sisters ran off, jumping along the dreamscape with careless ease, the brightly-colored land curling and twisting past them like oil in water. Eventually they stopped at a rainbow-colored puddle, Luna jumping in front of a Celestia that had suddenly skid to a halt.

“I've caught you!”

“Oh, yes, I suppose you have. Whatever shall I do?” Celestia said as she sat down, motioning for Luna to do the same. 

They sat there and stared at the puddle for a minute, exchanging no words. The technicolor water reflected off of Celestia's eyes like that day that already felt so long ago, and for a second she thought of Chrysalis again, the muscles in her body tensing up as a pervasive sense of longing overcame her.

A pair of doves flew between the apple trees nearby, throwing up a rustle of leaves that transformed into red, buzzing dragonflies. Celestia shuffled in place.

“Luna, can't you just, I don't know… find Chrysalis in the dream world?”

Pulled out of the moment, Luna's peaceful expression turned somber.

“She's not a pony. You know I can't do that.”

“I know. But it was worth a shot.” Celestia sighed, curling her legs against her body. Again, she stared at the puddle in front of her for a moment, tightened up in a ball. “I never got to say this, but... I'm really glad you're back, Luna.”

Luna blinked with surprise. She straightened her back and smiled as her sister's approval registered.

“I too am glad. It was terribly lonely, up on the moon.”

“Yeah. Sorry about that.”

“No, if I must be honest, I... deserved it.” Luna said, furrowing her brow. “Let's... not focus on the past, shall we? Instead, we shall think upon your marefriend's swift return.”

At first, Celestia thought to say something about Luna's usage of the word ‘marefriend’, but something told her to let it slide this time. She unfolded her body and grinned at Luna.

“Ha. Yes, we shall.”

Another two weeks passed.

It was a standard morning when Celestia grounded herself back on Earth. Upon her vision reconnecting with her brain, she found herself with another one of Twilight's weekly friendship reports staring her in the face. Ah, yes. Now these were the highlights of the week.

Twilight's letter described a sleepover with two of her friends who went on to butt heads and nearly ruin the night. The letter was overall excellently constructed, which was standard for Twilight, but a passage near the bottom kept sticking in Celestia's mind.

_..._  
It's hard to believe that two ponies who seem to have so little in common could ever get along! But I learned that if you manage to embrace each other's differences then you can begin to find common ground and truly become friends. Is this how you and your friend managed it, Princess?  
... 

“You are very wise, my pupil...” Celestia mused with a bittersweet smile. Tapping her hoof on the desk, she began to mull over the passage.

_Though her friends obviously have feelings for each other, I don't know if that's the case with me and..._

The leaves outside had already begun to turn orange, the warning decay of Autumn soon approaching. Celestia could feel her eyes slipping off of the paper in front of her as she kept peeking out the window, her mind wandering as if it were looking for somepony outside. Despite knowing she wouldn't find anyone there, she still released a disappointed sigh.

Celestia shook herself and moved Twilight's reports aside for a stack of papers, forcing herself to move on, but the residue of the thought stuck with her.

Loneliness had once been a constant in the Princess’ life, but the sensation now was newly uncomfortable. She wasn't sure when it had first left, the loneliness, but it had made itself known again, and it did relentlessly. With a deft swish of her feather pen, Celestia clenched her eyes shut and got to work.

_She's okay. She probably just doesn't need to talk as much as I do. At least I have Luna now? But she has her own responsibilities, and she'll only have more as she settles into royal affairs… Besides, it's just not the same without..._

At that thought, Celestia jerked backwards as she felt a now familiar ache stab her in the chest. Today's ache felt worse than yesterday's, and yesterday's worse than the day before that. But the ache wasn't what caused her to recoil, not by a long shot.

It was that, after all this time, in these quiet moments, Celestia could still remember the way it felt to hug her. Even now, Celestia was tortured to think of it; the way her body heat was perceptibly lower than a pony's, but just by a bit, not so much that she felt cold. The way her carapace felt so perfectly smooth, a bolt of fur placed upon her chest, imperceptible from a distance. And her scent…

“Princess?”

Celestia snapped her eyes open and spun around, pulled quite viciously out of her fantasization. Standing there at the door she saw one of the guards Kibitz made quite certain was monitoring her, posed dutifully.

“Your designer has brought a few guests with her. One wishes to see you first.”

“I see! Well, uh, send them in.”

Moving swiftly and exactingly, the guard stepped aside and revealed that Apple that had once so ruthlessly picked apart Celestia's flawless schemes, her hat already held against her chest in reverence. A tad surprised, Celestia waved at Applejack and shifted in her seat.

“Oh, h-hello! What, er… brings you here today, Applejack?”

Applejack stepped forward with her head hung low, and for a second the whole situation gave Celestia deja vu, taking her back to the last time they had met. This time, however, Applejack gave off far less confidence in her stride, almost seeming uncertain of what she should do next.

“Hi, uh… are you busy?”

“Oh, no, I'm not really doing anything imp-”

Celestia glanced back at her paper to realize that she had been writing her thoughts down, a revealing poem mindlessly scribed upon the edge of an average expense report. Her heart sunk as she read the first few lines:

_And yet now my heart rings ever true / I think I may be given long life / so that I may one day have met..._

In a panic, Celestia reared back and slammed a nearby book over the paper, obscuring the revealing note with conviction.

_OH NO???_

“Somethin’ wrong over there?”

With a blur, Celestia faced Applejack with a tight-jawed grin.

“Everything is fine! No, I'm not busy at all, go right ahead!”

The go-ahead given, Applejack smiled nervously.

“G-Great? Well, uh… here goes! I heard y'all were the ones that found Rus 'bout a month back. I never knew how to approach ye, but when I heard Rarity was visitin’ the castle, and that some of the others were tagging along, it… heck, it felt like a sign! So…” Applejack stuttered and patted her hat against her chest. “I just wanted... to thank ye. We were all worried sick ‘bout Uncle Rustic, y’know? So thank ye.”

There was a second where Celestia's first response was to become overwhelmed with joy, seeing the results of her actions having directly positive effects on one of her civilians, a moment that over the span of 1000 years had never gotten old for her. She quickly stifled down her happiness, however, in turn easily throwing on her regal composure like an outfit.

“Ah, that stallion was a relative of yours, then? Yes, I remember you, you're…” She froze mid-sentence, the first memory she could summon up of Applejack being terribly embarrassing. And involving Chrysalis. “Ahem. One of Twilight's friends, from her reports! You do not have to thank me for performing my duty to Equestria, Applejack.”

Before Celestia could finish speaking, Applejack had already began to walk back towards the entrance to the room.

“Well, that just ain't how Apples do it! I got somethin’ right h-” She froze solid as she stepped outside, her face turning red. “O-Oh! Hi! I didn't know you'd be… comin’ up so quick!”

Applejack stumbled backwards over her own legs, quickly followed into the room by a beaming Rarity. With a measuring tape slung over her neck, she magically carried a massive dress and a fruit-filled basket into the room.

“Don't worry, I've got it handled, darling!” She said sing-songy, teasing Applejack by rubbing her chin. “Oh, and Princess! I've brought your dress for the Gala, so do try it on now!”

Celestia jumped up, remembering why Rarity was visiting.

“Oh, yes, excellent! You may hang it up over there, Rarity. And thank you for the gift, Applejack. I hope your uncle is well.” Celestia said, giving the pair a mischievous wink. “Now try not to have too much fun, you two.”

Rarity nodded as she placed both gifts on the desk and shoved a stone-rigid Applejack along.

“Yes, yes, we’ll try! Now let's give the Princess some privacy, darling.”

“T-To put on a dress?”

But it was far too late for Applejack to protest for the pair were already long gone. And just like that, the whirlwind of activity was over and Celestia was in solitude again, the only other pony still in the room with her the guard from before. As she went to grab the dress, she sighed.

_Well, at least they're happy._

Absentmindedly, she eyed over the basket next to the dress for a second and bounced with surprise.

“Oh, Golden Delicious! My favorite.”

Grabbing an apple and pulling the fanciful dress over herself, she turned to look up at her reflection in the window. She peered deeply into the glass, scrutinizing every detail of her appearance. As she went to take a bite Celestia caught something out of the corner of her eye in the reflection. Shifting the focus of her vision, she not only saw herself but a second figure standing behind her from a distance. 

She was stunned when she realized that it was, of course, none other than Chrysalis herself standing in place of the guard.

“ _AH!_ ” Celestia shouted and spun around, accosting her sudden visitor. “CHRYS!? Oh my GOSH, where have you BEEN? Were you that guard this ENTIRE TIME? Goodness, I was afraid you might be DEAD!”

“Celestia.”

“What was it, did somepony threaten you? Was it the community service thing? I told Kibitz that-”

“ _CELESTIA!_ ”

The abrupt shout froze Celestia cold, running ice through her veins. To her dismay, seeing Celestia upset struck Chrysalis with a bizarre, unpleasant feeling that overtook her body and forced her to rub her leg.

“Sorry. Look, can we just not… do any of that today? Cut the monarchy business for today.”

Somehow, Chrysalis apologizing wasn't the most bizarre thing about what she had just said. Celestia relaxed her muscles, picking up on the weariness in Chrysalis’ voice and the bags under her eyes.

“Sure. Yeah, of course. So, uh… just hang out then?”

“Whatever.”

No questions asked, Celestia closed the door behind Chrysalis and locked it with a click.

“That's completely fine. You're lucky you've managed to find me during a lull in the action, actually.” 

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes.

“It's almost as if that's on purpose. It's almost like you've had a wall-to-wall schedule for the past week.”

“Oh. Huh, you're right.” Celestia mused, gazing down and springing back up with glee as she reminded herself of her new dress. “Oh, yeah! Well, don't leave me hanging! What do you think?”

She posed with a step to the side, showing off more of the material to Chrysalis. 

As a cascade of pinks and purples fell past her vision, Chrysalis lethargically ran her eyes along the length of Celestia's outfit, beginning at her left leg and climbing upwards. Eventually, Chrysalis’ eyes ended their long journey to rest on Celestia's face, catching Chrysalis off guard and causing her to gulp.

_Beautiful._

“Gaudy.”

Like a wilting sunflower Celestia frowned, not really sure what she was expecting.

“Ah, of course. Guess it should be, if I'm going to the gala...” She shook herself of the disappointment and kept moving forward. “So… what have _you_ been up to, then, Chrys?”

Moving past Celestia, Chrysalis sighed and leaned onto the window as if something was weighing her down.

“Oh, you know. There was a... home emergency, let's call it. It took some effort, but it has been dealt with.”

“Wow, sounds heavy. Seems like you need a…” Celestia smiled wide, winking and nudging Chrysalis with her elbow. “ _Changeling of pace?_ ”

Not a single muscle moved on Chrysalis’ face.

“Is that supposed to make me laugh? Is that what comedy means to you?”

“Huh. Changelings must perceive humor differently.” Completely stumped as to why that didn't work, Celestia sat down and rubbed her chin. “Well... did you want to know about the progress we've made towards finding whomever hurt you, then? Or, oh! Did you hear my nephew got engaged? That's not strictly monarchy business!”

Chrysalis shivered as if a chill had just ran through the room and she turned away from Celestia to look outside.

“Ugh. Yes, it's barely out of your mouth and I've already had my fill of that. Today, that's monarchy business.” Her expression subtly shifted grim. “And I'd rather not hear anything about… my case, until you’ve solved it.”

The one-two punch of Chrysalis’ twofold denial was the last thing Celestia's heart could take and the sunlight disappeared from her eyes. Outside clouds began to form a shape in the sky as the same chill that seemed to afflict Chrysalis crept over her.

“You could just say you don't want to talk.”

Wordlessly, Chrysalis pulled herself away from the window and faced Celestia, shadowing her face from the light such that only her glowing eyes could be seen. They stared at each other this way for what felt like minutes, tension rising in the silence and threatening to break. In the end Chrysalis proved unbreakable and, eventually, Celestia was the first to falter. 

“Look, Chrysalis, I feel like we're missing some common ground here... you've been gone for a month, and you're _kind_ of acting like there was a reason for it. If you don't want to tell me, then whatever, but if there's anything I can do, please tell me. And if all you want is silence, then-”

In between Celestia's words, Chrysalis had approached the Princess unnoticed, and in that moment, she buried her face in Celestia's warm chest.

“Why do you have to make everything so _difficult?_ ”

A furious wind whipped up outside, blowing leaves out of the forest and into the overcast sky to never return again.

It's always the bad girls.

As the howling gale swung open the window with a clatter, Celestia thought about the poem she had written on that expense report, the poem she had inadvertently written for _Chrysalis_ , and how it rested a scant few feet away from the two of them. Celestia's heart swelled as she thought about how dearly she wished to read the poem out to her, how dearly she wished she could sing it out from the mountain tops.

But she didn't. She couldn't. All she could stand to do, then, was bite her tongue and think about how much she hated it when Luna was right.

_This is completely humiliating._

But how could Chrysalis resist? Celestia simply wore herself on her sleeve, and somehow her affections just _tasted_ better than others. Chrysalis didn't even have to take when everything was so easily given.

At the very least, the embarrassment faded with time. And the affections only emboldened.

“This might be a weird question, Chrys, but… have you been getting a lot of deja vu today?”

“Yes. I was beginning to worry I had a fatal illness.”

Celestia giggled, rattling Chrysalis’ head around for a second.

“It must just be that time of year, then. Because otherwise I'd have that illness too.”

“Maybe we'll both just die.”

“Well, if we do, I could think of worse contexts to perish under.”

_I think I could too._

Just then, just as they were getting comfortable, they heard the door unlock and creak open, causing both of them to snap their heads up with great apprehension. There they saw, standing innocently, was Luna.

“Oh. Hello.”

In a panic, before anypony could respond, Chrysalis pulled away from Celestia and tossed an unknown object aside before disappearing in a gout of flame, all happening so quickly that it took a moment to register on the sisters. Celestia groaned loudly and masked her anger by slapping a hoof over her face.

“Were we not knocking before entering back in the olden days, Luna?”

“Well, forgive me! Can we not follow the tunnel she's just created?”

Celestia placed her other hoof over her face and shook her head.

“Not a pony. Not traditional displacement. You'd have to completely recalculate the tunnel's Cloverian signatures.”

To Celestia's dismay, another pony, Fluttershy, stepped into the room from behind Luna with a loud gasp.

“Oh, my! Who was that?”

_Great._

“A, uh... family friend.” Luna said, darting her eyes back and forth as she moved to check on her sister. “What a peculiar position you two were in. You look like you have something to say, Celestia.”

Celestia looked wearily at Luna, anger long replaced with a trace of guilt trapped on her face.

“If I'm being honest? I think I do.”

Sympathetic, Luna knelt down and patted Celestia on the hoof. As the sisters sat there, the item that Chrysalis had frantically tossed away rested nearby, unnoticed, beneath Celestia's desk; a green stone, roughly in the shape of a teardrop, glittering defiantly in the faint light.

Elsewhere, far and away and during another time, the rumbling of the Hive was louder than ever, its source deep in the heart threatening to erupt, the creaking of the walls practically audible now. Holes seemed to open and close with greater frequency, the rumbles causing entire passages to appear and disappear within moments.

Chrysalis languished upon her throne, resting her head upon her hoof as she turned the Shaping Stone over in her other, eyeing it with great consternation. A ray of sunlight pouring into the throne room shone through it, causing sparkly patterns to reflect onto the Queen’s face. She sighed.

Almost as if on cue, Stinger appeared from behind the obsidian throne.

“You feel it too, don't you?”

Chrysalis threw her head back with a dramatic flair.

“... I do.”

Lurking like a snake, Stinger stepped before her.

“Then you know the Princess is a threat. A rose that must be nipped before it can bloom.” He hissed, his voice low. “For if she intends to court you, and should her affections be denied, it could draw the ire of the _entire_ Canterlot Kingdom. Conversely, should they be accepted…”

Wincing as if Stinger had hit her cut, Chrysalis sat up in her throne and hammered at one of its arms with a crunch.

“And you think there is a possibility they COULD?”

“I don't like to rule out anything. I've obtained my station for a reason, my Queen.”

With an annoyed, aggravated slump, Chrysalis fell back into her seat.

“There is a difference between being careful and being _insulting_ , General. And for your information…” She narrowed her eyes, venom dripping from her teeth. “There _is_ no possibility.”

Unfaltered by her reply, Stinger had begun pacing the length of the throne, making sure to maintain eye contact with his Queen.

“Is that the case? For who goes on a spying mission for an entire MONTH, yet has nothing to show for it?”

Incensed, Chrysalis jumped to her hooves, towering over Stinger.

“You are COMPLETELY out of line right now, mister! I should reprimand you just for THAT!”

“If I must be reprimanded for ensuring the safety of your Hive, then go ahead! Reprimand me!”

Neither changeling flinched, lightning flying from each pair of eyes to the other, both just waiting for a single moment of doubt. The staredown wore on for what felt like hours, the only sound the rumbling from the walls. At last, sufficiently convinced of Stinger's courage, Chrysalis upturned her nose and turned away.

She couldn't admit it, but Chrysalis just didn’t know what to do about Celestia, and she couldn't ignore it any longer. At some point, amongst the subterfuge, she had written herself into a corner, every action she could summon feeling... wrong. She knew she had to reply to Stinger but she couldn't muster the words.

_You’re an idiot. I do not see how this is hard. She is a threat to your changelings. This indecisiveness is proof alone that she weakens you._

Chrysalis couldn't argue with that. But she couldn't stop thinking about how Celestia made her feel, either; how, despite the warning signs, Celestia _trusted_ her. How Celestia almost made it seem like... letting one's guard down and being vulnerable with another was okay.

_When will you learn? These are the exact things that make her a threat._

“But she talks of peace.”

“Hmph. And what kind of ally would she be? As if peace were ever an option for our kind.”

Chrysalis blinked at Stinger as if she hadn't realized she had just said that aloud. His words nonetheless rang true, and Chrysalis ran a hoof along the long-since refused break in her carapace as she thought upon them.

“Yes. As... if peace ever were.” She curled her mouth into a snarl, a cohesive thought forming in her mind. “As it stands, you are correct. The Princess, considering the recklessness with which she holds her station, is the most... dangerous... thing in my life right now. And you wanted proof of my progress against that danger, yes?”

Skeptical, Stinger narrowed his eyes.

“Oh, I’d love it.”

Sensing a point of no return, Chrysalis stared at the green stone in her hoof one last time, and something about the reflection in it triggered her nostalgia for a moment, the soft sunlight feeling like a kindly set of eyes staring back at her.

_You... really were trying to befriend me. And... maybe I really wanted to understand you, once._

_But I can't. I should never have even tried._

In that moment, a rift opened above the stone, bright green and blue and black, spinning viciously in place. The stone rose up into the screaming portal and disappeared, another object quickly following it back out. It was large and rectangular, almost appearing to be a book bound in old wood; etched upon its front, in a curious font, was the phrase:

_Wedding Ideas._

Moving unhindered, Chrysalis looked back at Stinger with empty eyes and a fanged grin.

“Send out our agents. We're going to crash a wedding.”


	13. Give & Take

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weddings. Christmas. Generosity. Kindness.
> 
> Don't mind me, just listing words. It's what they do in times like this, right? Happy holidays.

There was a beautiful, clear sky that Spring day. By all measurements, it was perfect.

For once, everything was in order, and there had not been a single disaster during preparations. The banners were strung up, the flowers arranged, the arches placed. It almost seemed as if fate had wanted this wedding to happen. 

But despite everything, in the face of destined inertia, something was still amiss deep within.

“I STILL can't believe my own BROTHER didn't tell me he was getting MARRIED.” Defiant, a disgruntled Twilight tossed herself onto a nearby chair and crossed her forelegs, spitefully throwing her entire body weight into the sit. “Not that I'm upset WHO he's marrying... it's, well, simply _the principle_ of the thing.”

She spun around with apprehension, waiting for her roommate’s response. Across from her, standing in front of a mirror, was Cadance, still trying on her wedding dress in preparation for the processions to come.

“I totally get that. But an unknown party has been making threats towards Canterlot, Twilight. You know that.”

It was then that another alicorn, Celestia, turned back into the guestroom and straightened out the papers in her grasp, dropping the entire mountain onto the table to address Twilight.

“Yes, and it was... _my_ call to tighten security, so I’m the one who should be apologizing, Twilight.” She said, avoiding eye contact. “We've had... dangerous occurrences within the castle walls, recently. Sabotage, thefts, assassination attempts. I simply predict that, until the culprits are apprehended, a wedding would not pass unimpeded should we be unprepared.” 

Unable to pick apart Celestia's logic, and not really wishing to contradict her own mentor, Twilight uncrossed her forelegs and quit pouting.

“I... guess that makes sense.”

“I think it's quite responsible of you, Auntie.” Cadance chimed in.

Celestia waved humbly at the compliment.

“No, no, I'm simply doing my job, even if it's unpopular. Kibitz was certainly happy to hear my decision…” _Even if it was his idea…_ “But that's getting off topic! I came in for a reason. What do you think of the dress, Cadance?”

Not expecting the question, Cadance jumped on the spot and glanced quickly back into the mirror, giving a full twirl.

“Oh, I love it! Twilight's friend really knows how to work a needle.”

“Excellent. You deserve only the best today.”

Satisfied that everything was in order, Celestia nodded and left to move move a couple rooms over, gliding past other groups that were busy with their own preparations. One room was Shining and his parents, the next Kibitz and his husband, and so on and so on until she found her destination. Celestia leaned into the guestroom to find Luna deep in a chair, staring at the ceiling.

“Hello there! How are you holding up today, sister?”

It took a moment for Celestia's words to register, but when they did, Luna turned her head mechanically towards Celestia. It was obvious from the bags under her eyes that she hadn't gotten a lot of sleep last night.

“Good. Good. Definitely not terrified about wedding two ponies I met scant half a year ago.”

“Well, if you're going to chicken out, then I'll do it.” A third voice chimed in, a voice that belonged to somepony who, on the other side of the room, lying upon the couch upside down, head hung off the side quite awkwardly, was Chrysalis, who was not even remotely close to done getting dressed.

“I think there would be questions, Chrysalis.” Luna swung around in her chair, unamused. “ _And_ you know them even less than I do.”

“I'm sure we'd get along quickly. I'm great. You ponies have peculiar sleeping quarters.”

Wearing a bemused smile, Celestia walked over to Chrysalis and looked down at her in her awkward position.

“I don't even know what you would consider a ‘sleeping quarter’, Chrys.” Celestia giggled. She thought for a second about how happy she was and how it almost made her feel suspicious and she stopped laughing. “I can't believe how well everything is going. It's making me nervous.”

“That's a silly reason to be nervous. You're just going to psych yourself out, Celestia.”

“Yeah, you're right. I shouldn't look a gift…” To everyone's dread, Celestia paused dramatically and smiled. “ _changeling_ in the mouth.”

Chrysalis pulled her head up to look at Celestia and blinked once slowly and deliberately.

“We have somewhere to be, don't we?”

Disappointed in her second failure, Celestia frowned.

_She must not know the ‘don't look a gift chimera in the mouth’ saying._

“Ah, we... do. We should all get going, Luna.”

The chapel was jam-packed that day, rows and rows spilling over with friends, family, loved ones, even a few political allies. Sitting nestled in front were familiar faces; Celestia next to Chrysalis, herself sat next to a bristling Kibitz, the trio looking on with anticipation. And standing on the stage, behind Cadance and Shining Armor, was an overwhelmed Luna.

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and trying to gather herself. Then, by chance, she glanced over to the six ponies standing beside her, catching eyesight with Pinkie Pie. Without skipping a beat Pinkie waved enthusiastically, causing Luna to smile warmly and nod back.

She turned back to face the crowd, emboldened, and she began.

“Love... is... about give and take. It is what motivates us to offer kindness to another, and it is what allows us to accept that kindness right back. The truth is that love is a quantity that ebbs and flows, constantly rotating between states, born at the line connecting two souls. And from that rotation comes light, for this shifting of roles - this give and take - is a part of the process of life. That is love. And before me I see much love. And that is something to be rejoiced.” She paused for a breath, her voice crisp and clear. “We gather here today to witness that love. To see that exact moment when two souls connect, so may we watch the creation of potential. Anyhow, I'll quit my proselytizing. Shall the rejoicing scene begin.”

And things proceeded exactly as expected.

They said their pieces, they said 'I do’, and they kissed. When it came to toss the bouquet, however, something extraordinary happened, something beyond the mundane. 

An arc, mathematically perfect, impossibly calculated, was formed as the bouquet moved up and then moved down in a path that almost seemed wholly predetermined, almost scientifically destined to land squarely in the lap of none other than Princess Celestia. 

She jumped in her seat with surprise as the weight of what had just happened hit her. Celestia could feel everyone looking at her as they cheered, now, and she didn't know where to place her eyes amongst the celebration.

“Oh! Ha ha, oh, wow! That's lucky!” She sputtered, aimless. By chance, Celestia ran her eyes over Chrysalis, and in that moment it suddenly became quite clear what she should next do. Celestia took a deep breath and faced the changeling seated next to her. “Hey. Uh, Chrys... you know, uh... what would speed up a peace treaty?”

Her interest piqued, Chrysalis leaned in and raised an eyebrow.

“Oh? Tell me more.”

Sensing that her signals were being reciprocated, Celestia began to lean in too, trying and failing to suppress her fidgeting. Their faces were soon near each other, the pair maintaining unbroken eye contact as their mouths began to approach contact. The world around them disappeared as they finally-

“Celestia? Are you paying attention?”

Celestia blinked and in that moment she was staring outside into the snow blanketing the castle grounds. She craned her head around to see Kibitz standing there in the hallway wearing a sharp suit. As far as she could see down the hall everything was decorated in green and red, the color contrasting with the blinding whiteness outside, everything so bright it seemed to shine.

“Oh. Ha, sorry. I'm awake.”

Annoyed, Kibitz ruffled his mustache.

“I can't believe you're over there daydreaming when you’re a couple minutes away from marrying two ponies to each other. Your niece and your pupil’s brother, in fact.”

The reminder didn't sit well with Celestia as she began to bounce from hoof to hoof.

“So I’m nervous! And gosh, it's perfect outside. Could you imagine having a Hearth's Warming day wedding? With the decorations and the snow and the family?” She stopped, turning somber again. “I just… you know... wish she were here for it.”

Unable to stay mad, Kibitz shook his head sympathetically and gestured for her to follow down the hall.

“Of course. But she unfortunately is not. Wishing for things that won't happen will only hurt you in the end. Come along now, Princess.”

They walked for some time, the hall seeming to be endless in length. Deep down, a part of Celestia had hoped that somehow that was the case. She would be okay with that; rows and rows of holly interspersed with massive windows, nothing to do but walk and think.

But it was not meant to be. Celestia paused as she reached the double doors and turned to Kibitz.

“Hey, remember when you and Eclair got married?”

“You're not going to buy more time with that old trick. Go. Go.”

And it was with nearly being shoved inside by Kibitz that Celestia at long, long last entered the chapel. This version of the real world location was much emptier than she had originally envisioned, the only other ponies there being the groom and the bridesmaids - Twilight's friends - standing at the far end. The rows and rows of seats were ready to be filled, each one bedecked with red and white flowers and ribboning. Celestia's steps echoed back and forth as she approached her station.

“Hey, everypony. Ready to get married?”

The five bridesmaids jumped up and cheered but Shining Armor stood still like a statue. Rainbow Dash flew close to the ground and brushed her brilliantly-colored hair as she tried not to look at the orange earth pony standing to her side.

“Shoot, are we all getting married? That might be moving a little fast, even for me…”

Sneaking up behind Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie snatched her up into a bridal carry and began to spin her around.

“Well, it sounds great to ME! Let's get MARRIED, Flutters!”

Celestia chuckled at the little microcosms that existed within Twilight's new friend circle, but she stopped as she began to wonder why the mare that befriended them all had such a sudden and terrible change of heart about the wedding. She detached herself from the world a little and it wasn't long until the guests began to filter in, and with time the bride herself had appeared at the far end of the chapel.

Lacking any other family to do the job, Kibitz walked Cadance and her beautiful dress down the aisle as she glowed with an ethereal, nearly intimidating, light. Soon, she had taken her place next to Shining Armor and Celestia greeted her with a smile.

“It's been so long since you had family that wasn't me. Ready to fix that?” She whispered.

There was a gap of silence as Cadance looked at Celestia with weary eyes, almost as if the soul was taken from her body and replaced. She snapped back to reality and covered her ears as she realized what Celestia was saying.

“Ah, Auntie, stop! I'll get cold hooves!” She whispered back. “If only Twilight were here...”

“I understand. I too am saddened by Twilight's sudden misbehavior. Let's not let it ruin your and Shining's special day, okay?” Celestia cleared her throat and addressed the audience. “Everyone! We gather here today to-”

“STOP!”

A shout rang over the chapel from its entrance and everyone began to clamor with confusion. Celestia looked up to see the cause of the commotion, and a scorpion's tail pierced her heart as she saw Twilight standing at the other end next to a nicked and bruised Shining Armor.

“Twilight, how-”

Stricken with equal parts terror and denial, Celestia turned to the first Shining Armor that stood to her right, the muscles in her neck constricting and seeming to fight against her. She looked into his eyes and saw emerald green.

For a moment, Celestia returned to her daydream, to before she was cut off. She stayed in that blissful moment for as long as she could. 

An explosion over her head rudely brought her back to reality. She looked around, the truth laid perfectly over the landscape in her mind minus a few changes; chairs knocked over, chunks of wall blasted apart. Outside the clamor of dozens and dozens of changelings raiding the city could be heard, Cadance and Shining were stuck to the wall with green thread, and Twilight and her friends had disappeared alongside a chunk of the attendants. 

A voice resonated, trembling the stone beneath her.

“It seems that, even NOW, you STILL cannot tell when I'm RIGHT under your nose, princess!”

Celestia was out of her place, standing across from a blurry figure, Chrysalis, on the other side of the stage, the distance between them seeming like the gulf between stars. As Celestia's vision sharpened and time began to move again, she noticed a beam of green energy flying towards her face.

_Counterspell._

In an instant, the beam curved and blossomed around Celestia as if she was contained in an invisible bubble, and the attack quickly dissipated into thin air. Unfazed by Celestia's deflection, Chrysalis began to cackle a terrible, chilling cackle.

“Even when your ‘trusted’ disciple sees clear as day, I elude you!” She stifled down more laughter with one of her cracked hooves. “Really, you've been quite cooperative. Convincing your niece to maintain that barrier, placing your trust in me over your trust in your student… really makes a gal wonder!”

The implication shot a panic through Celestia and she lost her defensive stance.

“Wh-What? Wonder about what?”

“Oh, still playing dumb, I see?” Chrysalis prowled with the glee of a predator stalking its prey. “Then surely you'll have no objection to facing me in the arena of combat, if I've misunderstood your intentions…”

Celestia's face burned red as she bit her tongue.

_I-I don't… Why are Twilight and Luna taking so long...?_

Her mind began to race as she stumbled backwards and Chrysalis pressed forward with her cruel intentions. It almost seemed like the shadows themselves in the corners of the room were crawling, joining the chase on the Princess.

“I don't- I just don't understand, Chrys, I don't understand why you're doing this! It doesn't have to come to this!” Celestia scanned her mind, frantically searching for anything she could say. “Don't you remember when I said we were the same? How we don't have to fight to take care of our own? And what of the peace treaty, what was all that time and effort for?”

Her words were of little use, striking Chrysalis but only making her more ravenous and angry. Growing restless, Chrysalis took a sharp intake of air and bellowed deep enough to shake the foundations of the chapel.

“I NEED this, Celestia, I've been _DREAMING_ of this! A day that will usher in a new ERA for me and my changelings, a day to end all STRIFE! Did you really think I would just AGREE to the truce? Did you REALLY think I'd align myself with your cause, allow your soft-heartedness to destroy EVERYTHING I've worked for? Well you must have forgotten, sweetheart! You give, _I_ take.”

Suddenly Chrysalis wasn't playing around anymore, Celestia's questions seeming to strike a nerve. Volley after volley, Chrysalis dotted the area around Celestia with explosive splashes of energy, reducing the stage to rubble and forcing the Princess to move. 

Celestia landed between the rows, disturbing not a single speck of dust. Her heart stopped beating as she surveyed her surroundings, witnessed the pure havoc that Chrysalis had purposefully orchestrated, and at last was certain what she must do. One of Celestia's hind legs trembled as she began to charge up and stare down her former friend.

_How did this… happen? There must be... SOMETHING I can…!_

Just then, as she resigned herself to her fate and released her counterattack, a purple-frilled changeling lept in from one of the windows and into the path between the royal mares, causing Celestia to flick her head up at the last second and blow a hole in the ceiling. 

“ _PHARYNX!_ ”

Chrysalis shouted as loud as she could, a shout that almost seemed to halt the chaos, a shout that was unshackled and furious but trailed off into something hoarse and desperate. Celestia couldn't move as the changeling and Chrysalis stared each other down.

“... _Don't_ do that.” She growled.

As if summoned, another changeling shot up, pulling the first one away and to the side to join the group of changelings currently watching the captives. There were four of them standing around the bride and groom, still stuck to the wall. The changeling that had retrieved the first one from the line of fire, the tallest one of the six, possessing a strict but caring gaze, plopped the overly-eager Soldier onto the ground and immediately began scolding them.

“Pharynx! Just what were you thinking, getting in the Queen's way like that? She told us to keep an eye on the prisoners!”

“You're crazy, Elytra, that was awesome! Right, Antenna?” Pharynx said as he elbowed the dour changeling next to him.

Despite the battle reigniting around them, not a single changeling had a reaction to the noise, almost as if it were happening in a different world. Antenna ceased watching her prisoners and casually craned her head around to frown at Pharynx.

“It seemed… foolish.”

Another blast could be heard as Celestia and Chrysalis continued to trade blows in the distance. A scrawny Scout popped up from behind Pharynx and began to dart and weave around him.

“Nah, that ruled, dude!”

“Chitin! Just the bug I wanted to see!“ Pharynx caught Chitin and pulled them into a headlock. He laughed obnoxiously as he gave them a noogie. “You could take some notes on being cool from us, Thorax!”

“Hey! C'mon, bro.” Thorax poked his head out from behind Elytra, who was now glaring towards Pharynx.

“Hmph. That's not helping anything. I don't even know why she's brought Nurses alongside the Scouts and the Soldiers, anyway. We've already had our hooves full with the new hatchlings as it is.”

Off by the windows, Stinger stopped leaning against the wall and sauntered out of the shadows, misty tendrils of darkness seeming to follow him out as he sneered.

“This assault needs to succeed. Chrysalis has been woefully mismanaging the Hive as of late. The hunger in your bodies has worsened, hasn't it?”

Each of the 6 changelings looked at each other, each sure the others would answer to the contrary. There was a huge crash amongst the rows as no one did, a resounding punctuation to a wordless sentence.

“Is the Queen scared?” Antenna mused, the only one unfazed enough to speak.

“She should be!” Everyone snapped to the voice, only to see Shining awake and fighting his restraints. “The moment Twilight and her friends come back... she's toast!”

With a growl, Chitin bore their teeth at Shining.

“SILENCE, prisoner!”

A hoof flew in front of Chitin as Stinger stopped them.

“No. The pony is right. She should have been listening to m- to all of us. It is by our might that we feed tonight.”

“But did we have to be so... violent?” Thorax chimed in, his weak voice barely managing to rise above the clamor.

Not watching where she was stepping, Celestia tripped over a stone and nearly fell over. Everyone had turned their icy gaze upon Thorax save for Pharynx, who had just then dropped his bravado for a quiet sense of sobriety. Thinking on his hooves, Pharynx jumped into everyone's line of sight.

“Hey, hey, go easy, the kid don't know what he's sayin’.” Pharynx said, hitting Thorax on the back and laughing nervously. “Stinger, buddy! I don't- I don't get how you have the guts to talk about the Queen the way you do, bro! I mean, Thorax couldn't do it.”

“Wow.”

His attention shifted, Stinger faced Pharynx wearing an exaggerated, fake smile as he bit back an annoyed sigh.

“Ah. I will explain in detail. I can stand the reprimands and the silent treatment, and she doesn't have the guts to employ martial punishment.” His tightened mouth fell slack. “Some changelings need to work to stand out, young lord.”

In that moment, Stinger's words were emphasized by an earth-shaking explosion, kicking up a cloud of dust. From where she stood, Celestia couldn't make anything out amongst the aftermath, and her heart sank to the floor as she feared the worst. A few grueling seconds of silence passed before Chrysalis’ glowing green eyes popped open and peered through the debris. As the dust settled, she stood there unharmed, a giant chunk blown out of the pillar behind her.

“Missing like this isn't like you, princess. Can't you face the truth? I, the REAL Chrysalis, tricked you. And the ‘Chrys’ you thought you knew? Every moment you and her shared together... it was all FAKE! She could NEVER exist!”

As her heart spun in circles, Celestia began to inch backwards, her relief at Chrysalis’ safety swiftly mired with panic.

“ _N- No!_ Not _all_ of that was fake! There's… no way I can think that was all fake!”

Chrysalis smiled a smile of sharp teeth as she began to approach Celestia step by step, each inch she moved carefully taken like a spider navigating its web.

“Then think harder.”

Unable to accept the premise she had been given, Celestia closed her eyes tightly and plunged herself deep within the realm of thought, shutting out Chrysalis’ taunting.

_Of course, there's something I'm missing! Think, Celestia, think! If I increase the power any further, I'm risking more collateral damage- no, forget collateral damage, I might erase this entire BUILDING! But maybe, if I can just catch her with the Chains of Tartarus, then…_

_No. No. No. N-_

Her thoughts were cut short as she was struck in the chest by a blast that forced her to fall to a knee. She opened her eyes to look downwards at the smoke rising from her unharmed body, the damage more emotional than physical. As she glanced back up, Chrysalis was standing over her, plunging her into shadow. Celestia proudly forced back the tears that had begun to form in her eyes, and she strained and failed to stand back up. 

Sure victory was at hoof, Chrysalis fanned her eyes and flashed another gnarled smile, confident and greedy and maddening.

“Is that all? Or do you wish to prosthelytize some more?”

Biting her tongue and stiffening her jaw, Celestia stared into Chrysalis’ eyes with what little energy she could still muster. She tried to summon the sun again, but it had set long ago, nothing but a faint flicker in her eyes.

“No, I've said my piece. Look, I-I... I expected some rough patches, Chrys. Some kind of misunderstanding, you know? But I never… I never thought you would be capable o-of doing... o-of doing th-th-” Her speech degraded as she finally let herself cry, harder and harder, and she hung her head low in shame.

Chrysalis stumbled backwards instinctively as if to dodge an attack, the sight of Celestia's tears slipping through her guard and shaking her to her core. She was overcome with a sense of confusion over her reaction to the sight, a pervasive, fleeting confusion that was quickly followed by annoyance. In retaliation, Chrysalis narrowed her eyes and stomped the ground with her full body weight.

“ENOUGH, YOU! I will NOT stand the Princess’ naivete any longer! One of you, string her up so she doesn't try to-”

Then the Alicorn in front of her melted away as everything became a blur, like a smudge across a watercolor painting. Chrysalis stopped dead and spun away as she was overcome with a wave of sickness, failing to make herself look at the broken Celestia much further. She stumbled to a nearby window, getting as far away from her as possible; there she found that cool air blew in from the chaos outside, but, to her dismay, even that was unable to calm her nerves.

_What have I done? What have I-_

_This sensation is weakness leaving your body. We'll just forget, and-_

“Excellent work, my Queen.”

A little voice pulled Chrysalis back to reality, and she gazed downward where she saw Elytra standing dutifully. Looking at her changeling, Chrysalis felt better for a moment, but as that moment passed she grew even sicker still, words rising up from her upset stomach, out of her throat, and onto the ground.

“Just string her up, Elytra. She's coming with us.”

In that moment, a cloudy, deep-purple mist materialized behind Chrysalis, leaking out of the cracks in the floor without a sound. Under normal circumstances, she would have noticed the mist a long time ago, but these were not normal circumstances, and it was already far too late. 

Once Elytra had walked off to collect the crumpled Celestia and Chrysalis had turned back around, the mist roared to life and shot up to form a rigid, rectangular wall that tossed Chrysalis back onto the ground with a resounding thud. Shaking her head and groaning loudly, Chrysalis sat back up only to find the wall that had shoved her over was gone. Scanning the room, she realized her changelings were no longer attending the prisoners, and instead they had been captured by the mist's tendrils.

“Wh-wh-what? How is this…?” Chrysalis trembled, half filled with anger, half filled with fear. “I demand to know the MEANING of this!”

“Glad to oblige.”

This time the mist rose from beneath Celestia, clumping together into a swirling cloud that grew and grew until it congealed into the shape of none other than Princess Luna herself. She extended her wings out wide, shielding her sister and threatening Chrysalis.

It was at that signal that Twilight and her terrible five friends appeared from behind the rows, running up and cutting the bride and groom loose.

“Sorry we took so long, everypony.” Twilight said, bowing in apology.

“There was a whole mess of them things outside.” Applejack said with her usual bluntness. “Good thing Luna was there.”

“We put a dent in them too, though! Heh!” Rainbow Dash said as she swooped in and flexed.

Everypony organized themselves behind Luna, Twilight and her friends in rows in the back and the members of the royal family leading charge. Cadance pulled Celestia back to her hooves, and, as a statement of power, Luna rose Chrysalis’ six changelings over her head in a ring, holding them aloft like a halo.

“Thou've made our sister cry? T'is an amateur mistake. Thou awaken us during our beauty sleep? Another mistake. Thou lack the ability to see that we have been here all along?“ Luna's cocky grin turned into a stark frown as dark clouds began to form around her head. “We believe the commoners call that ‘thrice strikes and you're out’.”

The winning move finally at hand, Luna went to make the signal to attack by winding up one of her hooves, but she was interrupted as Celestia sprung up and popped in front of her.

“No-! Luna, everypony, stop!”

“Celestia?” Luna jumped as the clouds departed, freezing in place. Locking eyes, the sisters exchanged a knowing glance, and, reaching an understanding, Luna nodded reluctantly. “I... see. We listen to her, everypony. Hold off for now.”

Standing tall above the crowd around her, Celestia looked over everypony with sovereign eyes and quieted any dissension. She walked towards Chrysalis with a confident stride, an entirely different Celestia from before. Somehow, the dried streaks made by the tears on her face seemed to make her even more fearsome, and they stood out against the fire in her eyes.

“It's over, Chrysalis. Your pawns are resisted, your captives freed, and your queen in check. Look outside and see your soldiers in the city gone. You’ve failed...” She looked at Chrysalis and the wrathful flame inside her turned gentle and smoldering. “But it's not too late to concede. You can still make things right.”

Chrysalis went to get up, but she was stopped as that same sick feeling washed over her. She tried to smile a devilish smile, but all she could manage was to bite her lip.

“That's a cruel, cruel lie… _princess_.”

The pair stared at each other for a moment that felt both too short and too long, and Celestia sensed the trace of something which she could not identify. In the silence, Luna looked absentmindedly at the changelings she had captured and noticed that they all had their eyes closed. A thought entering her head, she turned towards her sister.

“Uh, Celestia, I-”

But it was too late. Chrysalis narrowed her eyes and Celestia and every other pony within 30 feet of her was blinded as a bright, swirling pattern of colors flashed over their vision and obscured all else before disappearing. Everything was numb and overwhelming and beautiful for exactly 60 seconds, after which Celestia had to endure the unpleasant experience of her mind being returned to her. As the weight of her faculties were restored, she looked shakily around the room to see that the changelings were now gone.

She was relieved to see everypony else was still there, though, sitting dazed on the floor. Luna was the only one moving, already pacing around the room, looking for wherever the changelings could have gone.

“Where did they go? The soldiers outside, even - gone! None where I left them! How did they leave so _quickly?_ ”

“Sister! Is everypony okay?”

“Yes! But Chrysalis, her army, they've just disappeared, right out of my grasp! We must act quickly, before they get too far!”

Walking past Luna, Celestia poked her head out of the window that Chrysalis had just been standing in front of, and she looked up wistfully at the beautiful, clear sky. She thought about how today was supposed to be perfect and sighed.

“I don't know, Luna. I have a feeling she's already long, long gone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus concludes Act 3 - "Friends Forever".
> 
> Does it help if I say sorry?


	14. Shock & Awe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy moly, it's [CURRENT HORSE YEAR]! How did the time fly so fast? It seems like just yesterday I was getting entangled with dangerous women… and now it's [CURRENT HORSE YEAR]! Do you have any horse resolutions, dear reader? I do. Can you guess?
> 
> You caught me. I pledge to continue getting entangled with dangerous women.

She was still having dreams about her.

The day began when Celestia was awakened by the sound of opening blinds. With a groan, she pulled her eyes open to see Eclair, the Royal Chef himself, standing over her holding a plate of waffles looking quite concerned.

“Are you feeling alright, ma'am? It's 6. You're usually out of bed by now.”

“And you're… ugh. Usually your husband.” She sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. “I'm fine, Eclair. Just not awake yet.”

“I see. Well, I've taken the opportunity to make breakfast for you, my majesty.” He said matter-of-factly, placing the plate on Celestia's nightstand with an effortless motion. “You've been in the headlines lately, you know. And I hope you don't mind me asking, but… is it true? You've been attempting to make an ally of the Queen of the Changelings?”

The question came from left field and crashed onto Celestia's lap like a rock, causing a wavering cringe to run throughout her body. It was then that she became aware of how silent everything was, the emptiness of the unempty room weighing upon her body like a coat.

“Ah-ha. Your... husband really keeps his work life separate from his private life, doesn't he?”

Eclair laughed a big, joyous laugh, covering his mouth with a napkin.

“Oh, no, no, not as of late. Normally, yes. But I hear the Crown’s attracted a new, mysterious benefactor, and, considering... recent events, a certain advisor is quite talkative about the proceedings.”

At last, managing to stumble out of bed and onto her hooves, Celestia raised the sun outside with a flick of her head. She looked upon it, a great yellow orb framed in the window like a painting, as she sighed.

“Yes, I've heard about that too. Kibitz can have all the mystery money he wants, I've got a country to manage, causes to advocate, charities to fund… tell him I said hi, Eclair.”

“Of course, Princess. Please, uh… at least eat _one_ of the waffles.”

The Princess had soon found her tasks that day leading her into the outside world. Canterlot's streets seemed to thrum with a renewed hope as she wandered along, ponies moving from place to place as if propelled by fresh energy. Somehow, the world had just moved on, and it didn't look back, and it made the silence deeper.

As she approached the School for Gifted Unicorns, she began to notice posters popping up one by one on the walls of the city buildings. At first it was an isolated case here and there, but soon more and more appeared until they oppressed the walls to either of her sides, looking like stacks of paper that had been pasted to the stone brick in a rush job. Stopping at the front gate to her school, Celestia ran her eyes along one poster to see a bespectacled white-and-blue pegasus, below him the phrase “ _BLUE BIRD Has It!_ ” printed in big letters. There may have been more below that, but Celestia tore down the piece of paper without giving it a second thought.

This was, of course, Celestia's favorite time of the year. For some, maybe it was less so. But not for Celestia.

Walking through the gates and up to the front, she could already see an entire town's worth of young fillies and colts forming into loose rows to get ready for this year's initiation. This was what it was all about, in some ways. She needed to remember that.

Throughout her entire speech she managed to keep herself mostly in check, but she couldn't manage to resist subtly swaying back and forth. At first it was nothing, hardly anything to pay mind to, but by the end of the proceedings the slight movement was maddening. She was glad to be done with it as she stepped down from the podium, as if a grip had been loosened from her neck. It was never really about the speech, anyway, it was about the foals.

“Do you have any resolutions for this year, Princess?”

Spinning on the spot, Celestia caught eyes with none other than Miss Hackney, who had appeared behind Celestia within a moment's notice. The eye contact of another burned Celestia like it always did, but, today, for whatever reason, she couldn't handle the strain.

“Oh! Greetings, Miss Hackney. I was... thinking about that, actually.” Celestia spoke in an uneven tone, failing to maintain eye contact, instead looking over Hackney's head. “You know that field trip you proposed, to the Manehattan Science Museum? I'll make space in the budget. It's funded.”

Hackney's eyes lit up as Celestia's response settled in and she began to wiggle on the spot, her body not really sure what to do with the excitement.

“Oh, wow! Thank you so much, Princess, thank you!”

Not enough.

Back in the open wilderness of Canterlot now, the silence, little more than a low hum, still followed her around like a lost puppy, matching her step for step. It followed her to the openings, it followed her to the delegate meetings, the disputes, the parties, and, worst of all, it followed her to the streets. Even as the sound of the crowd bombarded her, nothing seemed to reach her brain, the buzzing inside preventing all entry. She glanced at her side and stopped dead as the void where somepony important once stood threatened to suck her in with it.

_I'm so…_

Celestia shook her head, loosening the thought from her mind. In the distance her destination entered her sight, and she charged forward with renewed energy.

_No! We’re not thinking about that today. We're helping ponies!_

“I hope I'm not late!”

Twilight Velvet was inspecting a nearby carriage as the Princess arrived on the scene, her husband Night Light standing on the porch to their house. As she heard Celestia's voice, she spun around and began running towards her.

“Oh, _Princess!_ You're finally here! These two have been a MENACE to our community EVER since they arrived, so PLEASE run them out because OBVIOUSLY my husband can't do it HIMSELF!” She almost spoke quicker than her mouth could form words, waving in the general direction of the inconspicuous carriage she had just been standing before.

His attention drawn to the noise, Night Light stepped off the porch in a panic, rushing to the side of his wife and breathing heavily.

“No, no, you don't have to do anything, Princess, it's a... a complicated situation! We all have something riding on this. And you've already done so much, mentoring our daughter, marrying our son off… you don't need to do anything more for us.”

“I don't think this is a time to be MODEST, Night!”

“Ah. Well, uh… let's not get ahead of ourselves...” Celestia stumbled as she could feel herself being pulled in two directions by the Sparkles, and one by one everything deafened as the pressure to choose sides was thrust upon her. In that moment, she swore she felt the sensation of emerald green eyes crawling up the back of her neck, and, at her limit, she covered her face up.

_K-Keep it together, Celestia! This isn't LIKE you._

Smelling blood in the water, the unicorn Flim popped into existence and shoved himself in between the trio, almost seeming to materialize out of thin air to hook a foreleg around Night Light. Despite the fact Flim's suit had been recently dry washed, there was still a grimy sheen to it as he banged his gilded cane on the ground with a sharp rap.

“Now I like how THIS fine gentleman thinks! Don't listen to that charlatan, Princess, we assure you our system is _entirely_ kosher!”

Before Celestia could even yelp in surprise, appearing from the same gap in space that his twin brother had jumped through, Flam wedged himself into Celestia's line of sight and nearly toppled her over.

“Yes _indeedy!_ See this young stallion here -- and a handsome one at THAT -- and you see a satisfied customer! Mrs. Sparkle just has a bit of a misunderstanding, here!”

“Flam, you're inscrutable! What we are is _entrepreneurs_ , your Radiance -- and we just want to see our fellow colleagues succeed all the same! Perhaps you'd be interested, Celestia -- can I call you that? Celestia? By just buying into our patented juicing system, you can start selling right away! We of course ask for a small commission on each sale, but… you understand, yes?”

It was then that Celestia widened her eyes a bit as, amongst the chaos, the fragments of the situation had finally revealed themselves to be puzzle pieces to her. With the last piece of the brothers’ statement, a solution clicked together in her mind.

“Ah! I do understand.” Celestia said as she smiled a pale, disgusted grin, staring down her nose at the brothers. “I hope _you_ understand how many ponies you’ve been cheating here.”

The brothers gave a terrified gulp, petrified by the Princess’ unprompted shift from a clueless old lady into a stony, spiteful monarch. Flam adjusted his collar, fearful steam rising from his coat.

“O-oh, come now, there must be a… a... small miscommunication! I'm sure we can… strike a deal, here.”

The Princess raised an eyebrow and only smiled more wickedly at his offer, stepping forward and forcing him to stumble back towards his carriage as she hissed.

“And on top of your _pyramid scheme_ , you’re attempting to _bribe a government official_ now? Just wait until the Princess hears about this… oh wait, that's _me!_ Let's say you shut this operation down, and _I'll_ pretend I didn't hear that.”

By now she was hovering over the both of them, Velvet rallying behind her with forelegs crossed. Clenching his jaw as the color drained from his face, Flam leaned in to whisper to his brother with a hushed tone, the two of them plunged into shadow.

“I th-think we bit the big one this time, Flim.”

“We can't slip away with you jabbering like that, Flam!”

And like that, they spun on their heels and made a mad dash for the carriage, kicking up so much dust it almost obscured them completely. By the time they had clambered inside and started moving, they had already shot over the horizon and disappeared.

As the twins appeared to now be gone for good, it almost seemed like the sky itself became clearer. With a sigh of relief, Twilight Velvet snatched up one of Celestia's hooves and began to shake it so hard that all of Celestia started jostling.

“Oh, THANK YOU, Princess! I hope those losers NEVER come back! I have no idea why Night couldn't just listen to reason.”

Hearing his name, Night popped up from the garbage can that he was hiding behind.

“Th-They were very persuasive, honey! I wasn't even the only one who got tricked by those two.” He said, approaching the two and releasing Celestia from his wife's grasp. “Oh, I'm sorry. I guess there are some ponies you just get the wrong impression of…”

Something about Night’s words wormed their way into Celestia's head and grasped hard, taking advantage of the intensified state she was in. For a second, their hooks tried to carry her brain away as images of sunlight-reflecting daggers entered her mind, but she forced herself to keep grounded, tensing her forehead to hold on.

“Oh, you... two don't need to thank me. I'm simply keeping my community happy. But if you or anyone in the family ever needs help with anything, like money or something, just... call... me?” Celestia blinked as she caught what she had just said, bringing her back into the moment. She rubbed the back of her neck and faced the Sparkles. “Hey, actually, have either of you ever thought about how… how we’re like… adoptive-siblings-in-law now? That's weird, right?”

The Sparkles looked at each other and smiled warmly, their grudges with each other suddenly seeming silly. Night Light pulled Twilight Velvet close, looking at Celestia again.

“Yes, and Velvet's uncle has been married to your advisor for 30 years now. I've been thinking... blood relations are just weird like that. How does… how does one even BECOME an adoptive aunt?”

In the first moment of joy she had that day, Celestia laughed.

“Oh, I could actually talk about it all day. Look Night, Velvet, it's been great seeing the two of you. I've got to go right now, but we should see each other again sometime.”  
Hugging her husband close to herself, Velvet nodded in the affirmative.

“Of course! Do your Princess stuff. Night and I would love to see you again!”

Given the go-ahead, Celestia waved a quick goodbye before taking to the skies, rising high above the city until the Sparkles appeared as dots below her. Somewhere, up amongst the clouds, everything became a blur, and the next moment she knew she was already back at the castle, walking it's halls holding a folder to her side. She could hear the sound of hooves emanating from behind her and she panicked, but when she spun around all she saw was her sister standing there.

“Ah! Hail, Celestia.”

“Oh! Hi, Luna! What's up?”

By the time they had recognized each other's existence, Luna had already trotted up next to Celestia, joining her in her walk.

“You seem troubled, dear sister. Where are you headed?”

Baffled by the accusation, Celestia blinked in confusion.

“Uh... nothing's wrong? There's a few documents I needed to get from my office, something for the ponies I'm advocating for...” She trailed off, intending to stop there, but something caused her voice to pick back up and continue. “I'm missing something, Luna. It's been driving me crazy all day.”

“And what are you missing?”

“Something about…” Celestia tilted her head in thought, glancing at the folder against her chest. “Something about the attempt on Chrysalis’ life, I think?”

Luna raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“You're... sure.”

“Yeah, like... think about it. Right before it happens, we have that restaurant mix up. And when we catch the culprit, we find somepony went through the effort to put a geas on him AND write us a message in Undercommon. But that's not even talking about the weirdest part…” As Celestia spoke faster, notes -- some old, some fresh from today -- began to float out of her folder and fly around her head, forming a wall of images before her. “Why would they send an _earth_ pony when a _unicorn_ would have done the job better AND cleaner? Whoever did this -- Dr. Regards, let's say -- I don't think they actually wanted Chrysalis DEAD. They were literally trying to send a message! But what I don't understand is... why? To scare her? Why not just destroy her there?”

Luna watched with bewilderment as her sister flew into obsession mode and started walking faster, an entire storm's worth of notes produced in seconds. Fearing that Celestia would only continue to speed up, Luna matched her sprint and cut into the conversation the moment Celestia paused for a breath.

“You're right, there's a lot we don't know about this... mysterious 'Regards’ fellow! However, I find it questionable to... waste this much effort on someone who's betrayed you like they have, Celestia! Would she do the same for you if you were the target?”

Walking step over step, faster and faster, Celestia proceeded unfazed by Luna's rebuttal, almost seeming to be energized by her words.

“Yes, that's another thing! Let's not even TALK about how desperate that attack was -- she claims that all the time we spent together was a ruse, and yet I cannot ascertain _why_. Why befriend me, Luna?” Celestia said without breathing, facing her troubled sister.

“Is this how you spend your free time? Perhaps she was trying to build your trust, be nice as to make the infiltrating easier. That seems obvious to me.”

Stopping so hard that Luna nearly ran into her, Celestia spun on the spot in front of her office and looked her sister square in the eyes, her gaze burning with a fervent, intense clarity of reason.

“But that's what I MEAN! Long ago, she told me directly to my FACE that the exact PURPOSE of her shapeshifting was so she didn't HAVE to be nice. She had NO REASON to build trust with me, Luna! Therefore, she was either wasting time toying with me, knowing full well that her Hive hung in the balance… or on that Hearth's Warming Day she was telling an outright _LIE!_ ”

There were no clouds in the sky then, and none of the birds were singing; it was as if the world stood still for a fleeting moment, the silence that Celestia had been suffering now imposed upon her surroundings, everything stopping to consider her argument. As the dust settled, Luna's perturbation gave way to proper frustration, and she clenched her jaw in anger as time moved again.

“This is… quite FRANKLY, wild conjecture, sister. All I'M hearing from you is a dissertation on Chrysalis’ incompetence. Even WORSE, you could be making a case for her only using you for your ardor. _Nothing_ you've said is direct proof of what you seem to believe to be true.” She said, the anger in her voice shifting more sympathetic. “I just... don't understand. How could you try rationalizing Chrysalis after everything she's done, Celestia? After what she's done to us and our family?”

Watching her sister tense up, Celestia could feel the pulling inside her again, like her heart was trying to break itself into two, big pieces. Without a word she plucked her notes out of the air and slid them back into her folder, pressing it back against her chest and folding up her body.

“It’s not like that, Luna, I just… know there's more going on here. I am absolutely not trying to excuse her actions, but... my sense of justice just... can't let this go. I'm missing something, and it's driving me crazy.”

They locked eyes, and Luna's anger softened further as she saw behind Celestia’s words and realized what this was really about.

“Oh, Celie. Now what did I tell you about letting your emotions get the better of you?” Luna said, giving her sister a quick hug. “I understand, it hurts when you're wrong about somepony. Especially when it's one you harbor… a fondness for. And I understand this might be how you're coping with it. But you mustn't let it destroy you, sister.”

“Of course. Of course I remember, Luna.” Celestia sighed, pointing her head towards the ground. At last, after sitting in front of the door for so long, she went to enter her office, muttering a password under her breath. She stepped inside for a moment, but as the state of the space registered on her, she recoiled back with a gasp. “What- how-”

Papers were tossed about the room, drawers ripped open, furniture upturned. From a glance, the office almost seemed to have been systematically torn apart, a chaos born from a distinct and planned order. The energy still running through her, Celestia flew right back into her obsessive tendencies, rushing around the office and assessing the damage.

“But this is… this is a secure room! It's not just been locked with a key, it's been enchanted with an _Arcane Lock_ \-- they haven't even dispelled it!”

Hearing the commotion, Luna rushed inside after her sister. Her reaction was comparable, the bluer Princess taken aback by the destruction unraveled in front of her.

“My word! How could this have happened?”

“I can't believe this! On top of everything else, on top of…” Celestia stopped dead and began to pace as she finished scouring the room, rubbing at her temples. “This is on PURPOSE. The documents I need are MISSING! Records and flyers and… who could have done this? Why? Is this Regards? Perhaps this has nothing to do with Chrysalis -- maybe this is targeting my _subjects_.”

Something about the way Celestia wandered cyclically around the room was heartbreaking for Luna to watch, as if something had her possessed. Luna stepped in after her, maneuvering around the wreckage to try and reach her sister without making too much noise.

“Celestia…?”

“However, that's another assumption… until I figure this out, I'm going to have to come up with some way to replace these documents for these ponies...”

Nothing seemed to penetrate the obsessive bubble Celestia had wrapped herself in, none of Luna's concerned questioning or gesturing finding success to pull Celestia back to reality. Unable to watch this unfold any further, and at the end of her rope, Luna grabbed Celestia and shook her violently.

“ _CELESTIA!_ Stop it! You can't keep doing this! Stop trying to help others and focus on _yourself_ right now! I know it's hard to think about but you are quite literally the victim of a THEFT!”

Out of instinct, Celestia pushed her sister off of her, stumbling backwards and back into the hall. The look on her now lucid face had turned darkly grim, the cogs in her head forcibly rusted.

“I… can't stop, Luna. _Everything's_ falling apart. You have to understand, I should be... should be better than this. I'm _going_ to be better than this. Please... don't try to stop me.”

And with that, Celestia turned away and broke into a full-on sprint.

“Oh, Celestia -- wait!”

But she was already gone.

Despite Luna being tall, Celestia was taller, and Luna didn't have a chance racing against her sister. At some point Celestia turned a corner, then another, and that was all it took for Luna to lose her amongst the halls. 

Refusing to give up, Luna began to check each room she came across, slamming open door after door, but not once did she find Celestia again. As her energy gave out, Luna was forced to accept that her sister had simply gotten away from her. Her breath was heavy as she looked up and down the hall one final time.

“Childish. Simply… childish.”

To her credit, Luna couldn't have known where Celestia was going. It was this workroom, of course, on the far side of the castle grounds - the last place she and Chrysalis had met as friends. Despite the pain it caused her, Celestia stood unflinching at the threshold and scanned the perimeter. As her eyes approached the far window, she could swear she saw the two of them sitting there sharing that moment again, and it was then, finally, when Celestia's heart broke into two.

Her legs feeling weak, the exhaustion catching her, she placed her folder down onto the table and dropped herself into the chair. She tried sitting up, but her head dropped onto the table with a loud thunk as weariness at last found purchase. 

_Ah. Always the bad girls, huh?_

_Maybe I'll reconsider my policy on time travel. Starswirl isn't around to lecture me on why that wouldn't work. I could pretend that it would._

_Oh, look at me right now. Where did I go wrong?_

Her eyelids less opened and more fell apart so that she was now staring at the ground, and her attention was caught by a sparkle out of the corner of her eye. Glancing over, she was surprised to find a curious treasure that had spontaneously appeared nestled in the table’s legs. Rightfully intrigued, she grabbed the object telekinetically and brought it close to her face.

“What is…”

With a closer look it was obvious that the trinket was a bright green stone, shaped like a teardrop, so small that one may have never noticed it unless they were specifically looking. She turned over the stone in her grasp to reveal a crumbling piece of paper, even smaller still, attached to the back. Straining her vision to look yet closer, she found there was little else to the note other than two words scrawled haphazardly across it in a craven script:

_‘Find me.’_


	15. Down & Dirty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, everyone! Do you like puzzles? There's nothing I find more satisfying than sitting down with a good brain teaser and going to town on that thing until the cows come home. That eureka moment -- that's what life's all about! Even the cows love it!
> 
> I'll be fair with you, though… when the puzzle kind of involves lives hanging in the balance, I can kind of see how that would be… even better! Say, I even have a few of those for you today! Let's check ‘em out.

Dirty light filtered in through the window, projected from the sun setting below the swamp outside. Residue covered everything in the building, and the mirror standing before her did not escape unscathed, its surface so filthy that she could barely see herself in it. This was remedied easily and, with a single wipe of cloth, Princess Celestia saw herself reflected clear as day, a somber expression worn on her face. She pressed a camera to her chest and sighed before taking a picture of herself, the flash of light signaling the finality of her action.

“But how will I find you?”

Drawing a line is easy; all you need is two endpoints. But the process is complicated when you're missing one. It's even further complicated when one considers drawing a line in the real world, where the concept of ‘straightness’ is something contained by a gray concept.

These thoughts ran through Celestia's mind as she stared at the map of Equestria, a red dot placed over Canterlot. A line with a single endpoint… it felt like a riddle.

“Look, if she wants to be found, then she's out there... somewhere.” Luna said, leaning over Celestia to get a closer look at the map. “Even if none of these scrolls possess her whereabouts, it's simply creating a line that always connects the two of you, passing through these lands… or perhaps you should simply try staking her out?”

Gliding her eyes over each named location, Celestia eventually locked onto a specific place that rung as familiar. Then it hit her.

“We have all the pieces, Luna. I know what we need to do.” 

“Oh.” Luna said as she looked at the piles and piles of maps filling the table before her, several of them falling worthlessly into more piles on the ground. “You do?”

“You said it yourself, we need to construct a line. And what do you need to do that? What's the _simplest_ way to do that?”

“Two points.”

“And we _have_ two points. A point at our location…” Celestia wore a mischievous grin as she pressed her hoof over a location that read 'Hayseed Swamp’. “And a midpoint! You weren't here for this, but she _specified_ we discuss the treaty at this midpoint! Which, in simple two dimensional space, would be enough, because you can just double the length between these points to find the line. But we're talking about geography, so the line won’t be perfectly straight and we'll need a range of possible points. And if we do _this_...”

Celestia grabbed a ruler and drew two lines from Canterlot's center, each passing through the sides of the swamp's perimeter, forming a roughly pentagonal shape of unnamed territory with the southeast border and the coast.

“We get a range.”

* * *

Everything had been arranged as well as they could have been, given the time, and the plan was finalized before pen even met paper. She had run all the calculations, figured out every possible range of error -- it was simply a matter of scouring the area and getting lucky, now.

And she was lucky indeed. Even from a mile away, Celestia could see something on the horizon; what appeared to be a bite taken out of the planet itself, a faded gray wound in the green landscape, began to creep over the edge of her vision as she flew forward. The radius of decay only grew bigger and bigger, so big that soon it was all she could see, a gnarled tower looming in it's impossibly deep center.

“Yeah, that's... probably it.”

Landing back on solid ground, it was as if she hadn't felt the sensation of grass beneath her hooves in ages. And now that she stood up close to the boundary between her territory and the blasted badlands belonging to her once-ally, she savored the grass even more. Producing the green gem, pristine and beautiful as ever, she eyed it, holding it up in front of the Hive in her vision.

_The Shaping Stone, huh…?_

_Well, at least I don't need to go out of my way to find a cast of Polymorph. I can already hear Starswirl telling me ‘no magical shortcut is without its costs’, but he can't really stop me, can he?_

_Brings me back to my college days. Resistance, don't fail me now..._

She tapped into the Stone with a flash of green light, and the Stone skipped the formalities as the claws of its tainted magic hooked into her mind, searing her like the sting of a wasp and flooding her mind like foul water. Amongst the rushing sound in her ears she could hear dozens of voices, one louder than the rest, whispering a single word:

_Usurper._

And then it was over. She fell to her knees hacking and gasping for air, the shock of the experience still running over her like a wave. As the pain faded, Celestia looked down and realized her legs were not her own, and it took her a second to realize that they were in fact the obsidian-carapaced appendages of a changeling drone.

“U-Ugh! Well... well, at least it seems I still have control of my faculties! I have no idea who I am right now, but I… I can figure it out as I go!”

As she got back to her hooves, a shift in the wind caused Celestia to tense up. Without turning around, she was absolutely certain somepony was standing behind her.

“Hello there.”

“I feel like nothing I try to do right now will stop you.”

When she turned to face Luna, Celestia was taken aback for a moment as her normally-shorter sister suddenly towered above her changeling form. 

“Y-You haven't managed to yet. My schedule is covered, right?”

Luna snorted, staring her nose down at Celestia.

“Easily. Kibitz has been in such a good mood he didn't mind covering mine as well. So I'm staying here, in case your _flawless_ plan goes awry.”

“Oh! Of course.” Celestia said with a nervous smile. “You didn't have to do that, but… I feel like nothing I try to do right now will stop you. So thanks.”

“It's nothing. Remember this when it's my turn to go mare-crazy.”

“Ha! Of course.”

They nodded at each other, having said everything they were going to say, and at last Celestia passed the threshold. Her first step created a resounding, scratching crunch that tingled across her body, and she had to resist the impulse to cringe in front of Luna. The land felt indelibly strange to tread upon -- the texture somewhere between sand and bone meal, the grains of material just slightly too big. It was a mercy that her new form possessed wings.

The atmosphere of the Hive was dire, dire in a way that didn't feel healthy or normal, even for the bizarre and unnatural landscape. The pall in the sky seemed to only get worse as she approached, becoming darkest as she began to make out the individual spires in the Hive. 

There existed a massive gash in the structure that she was forced to assume must be an entrance, given little recourse to enter elsewhere. As she landed, the armored pair of changelings standing beside the opening barely registered her existence as they craned their heads to look at her.

“Right... on ahead, sir.”

She winced at getting sirred for the first time in centuries. Unsure how to respond, Celestia nodded and stepped inside with a gust of air. 

The moment she was through the threshold, she was overwhelmed with changelings, numbers covering the ground and a few more crawling along the walls in zigzagging patterns. Everywhere there were glowing green points of light embedded in the stone, dark moss lining the cracks in the floor. She leaned against the structure and felt it shift under her hoof, and Celestia's chest tightened as for the first time in a thousand years she couldn't see over the crowd.

_This is… her Hive. This is really Chrysalis’ Hive! Wow, this is a lot. I didn't realize how much I was going to miss being freakishly tall, though..._

“Sir.”

Celestia snapped out of her awe and spun around to see several changeling Soldiers standing in a loose line, some saluting her but a majority straining to even stand up.

“Uh… at ease?” Her pupiless eyes widened as she realized why she was being treated this way and she spun on her heels to trot away.

_Oh, no. I might be Chrysalis' young stallion with the sharp eyes. Now that doesn't have to be a bad thing, so long as we don't-_

She was interrupted mid-thought as she turned a corner and ran into somepony's chest hard enough to cause her to fall backwards onto the musty floor. Celestia shook her head and opened her eyes to see three figures before her: an adult changeling holding a juvenile and a certain sharp-eyed stallion.

“Um… Stinger, am I seeing double here?”

“Maybe, Elytra. ‘At ease’? Is that what I sound like?”

Celestia gulped.

“Uh-oh.”

The bright green ambiance cast across Stinger's face turned it wicked as he approached Celestia hunched over.

“Uh-oh is r-right.” He said, wincing with pain, a fact that did not escape Celestia's notice. “Ugh. You better return to your own form... or ELSE.”

She darted her eyes between the two adults and the environment, looking for some opening, but it soon became obvious what her only option was as she looked down at her chest.

_The sharp-eyed one's acting strange, too. Seems like Chrysalis hasn't been handling the failure well. But I can't worry about that right now, I've got a more pressing issue on my hooves..._

Transforming the second time around wasn't as bad, something that might be attributed to the similarity between the forms, but it was still rather unpleasant. Celestia flashed a bright green as her form subtly shifted, and once the light faded from her body, Elytra sighed with annoyance.

“Ah, Chitin. I should have known. Why were you… ugh... running around looking like that?”

_The silly one, now! I guess this is an improvement?_

“Oh, you know… just… doing wacky Chitin stuff? Because that's me!” She said, waving her limbs around probing for an excuse. Elytra blinked as she placed the juvenile changeling down to mull Celestia's response over, rolling her eyes around in thought.

“Hm... that tracks. But please stop, it gets confusing.”

“Got it!”

Unsatisfied, Stinger walked around Celestia and began circling her like a shark.

“Hmph! So did you enjoy being ME while it lasted, messenger?”

“It was alright, I guess. It felt… weird being treated like a stallion?”

Halting in place, Stinger narrowed his eyes at her.

“Really, now? I've never thought about it...” He mumbled, looking down at the ground. “Nonetheless. Get out of my face.”

“Of course!”

Stinger bristled at her enthusiasm, making sure to maintain eye contact as he walked away and around the corner to other business. Elytra followed fast behind, pausing as she passed Celestia.

“Why were you going this way anyway, Chitin? The Queen hasn't request your audience in the Nursery.”

“Uh…” She hadn't planned for this contingency. “I guess I got lost.”

“F-Fair enough. I can't blame you for getting a little turned around. Things have been… ugh, chaotic, lately.” Elytra looked back and beckoned as she noticed the juvenile wasn't following her. “Come with me, Ocellus. Behave, Chitin.”

Finally, the pair left into a hole in the wall that had spontaneously materialized, and the moment they were out of sight, Celestia let out a sigh of relief.

_I cannot BELIEVE I not only survived that, but might have even came out of it with vital information! The shifting walls complicate things, though..._

She continued down the tunnel she was on from before, apprehension in her steps, forcing herself forward on her journey into the depths. Elsewhere, far below Celestia and deep in the heart of the Earth, was a cylindrically-shaped chamber lit with luminescent fungi and dotted with several puddles of pungent, muddy water. Along its walls, several rough pockets were dug out, wherein a particular one a changeling Queen lay indisposed. Flat on her back, her eyes bore holes into the ceiling as multiple larval changelings crawled all over her.

“Eugh. The lot of you are very unlucky, you know.” She held out two of them in the air above her and looked them over as they squirmed. “Hm… you're Cocoon. You're… oh, I don't know. You look like a Jeff? Let's face it, I'm really not in a naming mood.”

She sighed as she placed the pair back down and opened the portal to her demiplane.

_I cannot BELIEVE I'm about to do this._

With a swirl of horrendous fog, a picture was produced from the void and landed on Chrysalis’ hoof. Her chest flared with pain as she looked upon the image of Celestia peering into a dusty mirror and she began to squirm.

“You _vex_ me, princess. When will it end? Even now, it's as if you’re judging me with those _pristine_ eyes of yours, as if your mouth is giving me that DAMNABLE sm-”

Just then Chrysalis heard the crack of rock under hoof and within a second she was out from under her changelings and was standing, spell readied.

“WHO GOES THERE?”

As the mix of anger and fear faded and Chrysalis’ faculties returned to her, she fell a step backwards. If she hadn't known better, Chrysalis would have thought Celestia was standing spontaneously before her in her Nursery. To her shock, the hallucination of Celestia retreated in kind and began to wave her forelegs in protest.

“Ah, parley! Parley!”

Chrysalis blinked her eyes in disbelief, the realization dawning upon her that she might possibly not be hallucinating.

“Wh… wh... _C-CELESTIA?_ ”

“Ha, uh, yeah! At least you know my name st-” Celestia stopped on a dime as she noticed the larval changelings in the hole next to Chrysalis and instantly broke into tears. “Aww, oh my _GOSH?_ They're so CUTE, Chrys! Can I just-”

In the blink of an eye, Chrysalis was standing between Celestia and the grubs, hissing like a viper. Celestia could hear the larvae mimicking Chrysalis’ hissing and she had to bite back more tears.

“Okay, okay, sorry! I'll stay away. Sheesh.” Celestia said, her eyes darting around the Nursery. “So... this is your Hive, huh? It's… wet. Why did you never want me to see it?”

In a moment of deja vu, Chrysalis began circling Celestia, looking her up and down and inspecting her from all angles.

“That is NONE of your business! You can't just show up to someone's Hive like... like you’re ALLIED! Did anyone see you on your way here?”

“A couple of your changelings did, why?”

Restraining her dismay by force, Chrysalis combed her hair back and tempered her composure.

_Drats._

“No matter. And how do I know that it's really you, and not Stinger trying to trick me?” She said, hunching over and baring her teeth.

“Hm, that's a good point… you wouldn't be able to tell...” Celestia said with a touch of her chin and a glance at the ceiling, acting like she didn't already know the answer. The next time Chrysalis passed in front of her, Celestia closed the gap between the two of them until she was standing over her, close enough now that her potent aura overpowered the Queen. Celestia didn't intend for the move to come off the way it did, but it did, and she looked down with half-lidded eyes.

“But you can sniff out my affections from a mile away, can't you?” She said, a smirk on her face. A wave of panic rolled over Chrysalis, and she reflexively shoved Celestia away as her face turned a sickly shade of green.

_CURSES._

“O-Okay, so you keep answering my questions with questions! It's the authentic article after all. Hmph. Then what do YOU want, princess? I do not remember requesting another lecture on right and wrong.”

“Ha ha. I'm not here to lecture you.” Celestia said as she pointed at the gem she wore around her neck. “I actually had a few questions inspired by the note I found attached to this lovely thing just the other day...?”

Amongst the commotion, Chrysalis hadn't noticed Celestia's subtle change in attire. Her mind began to reel and unravel as she craned her head down to confirm that Celestia was, in fact, wearing her family heirloom, the Shaping Stone.

_RUINATION!_

“J-Just the other...? Alright, so I won't have to punish the guards for letting you through… or punish them as much, at least...” She picked up her jaw and coughed. “Either way. It's a… a bit late for that _scrap_ , don't you think, princess?”

The playful look on Celestia's face began to tint a more serious tone at Chrysalis’ dismissive response. She shook her head.

“No, I don't, actually... because I think we're being manipulated, Chrysalis. Whoever orchestrated that attack on you _wanted_ to drive us apart. And this note? It tells me you were doing something against your will.” Celestia's eyes glinted like daggers as she spoke. “You never actually wanted to crash that wedding, did you?”

The unexpected shift in tone wormed its way through Chrysalis’ guard, and she lost her footing for a moment before catching herself and advancing back towards Celestia with a mouthful of daggers of her own.

“Incredible. Simply incredible. I see, now that I'm not around to stop you from obsessing over things, you've gone over the deep end. How long was that? A week? Week and a half?”

All trace of whimsy had disappeared from Celestia's face as she mumbled in frustration.

“I'm being serious.”

Chrysalis patted at her own chest, bending her back into a dramatic curve.

“Well, me too! You barge in like you own the place, babbling about another conspiracy like I have any reason to care, and you have the AUDACITY to-”

“YOU GOT _HURT_ , CHRYS!” Celestia thundered, shaking dust off the ceiling and causing Chrysalis to coil up into a ball. As the outburst passed and she could see again, Celestia noticed Chrysalis’ fearful body language, the way her eyes looked, and Celestia stopped to take a deep breath and recenter herself. “S-Sorry. It's just... one moment, everything’s perfect. The next, you get hurt, then you disappear, then you hurt my family, then you disappear again. For 5 whole months, I've been in the dark as things only continued to get worse and worse. So... forgive me if I'm being a bit crazy.”

Empty space echoed against the walls of the chamber as the royal pair stared at each other, not a word being shared, not even the young changelings making noise. Chrysalis just stood there, not moving an inch, and Celestia mentally kicked herself as she rubbed at her temples.

“And I did not come here to yell at you… okay. This is what I'm trying to say. Between the assassination attempt, the message on the knife, and the note you left for me, I'm beginning to think somepony might have manipulated you into doing something you didn't want to do. And if I'm right, then you deserve justice too. You, Rustic, the Sparkles… everyone. I refuse to believe there can't be nuance for that. So I really need you to tell me why you made this note, Chrys.”

At first, Chrysalis still didn't move, stuck in Celestia's blinding headlights. With time, she started breathing again, though it was shallow. She looked around as if she was reacclimating to the chamber, acting as if she was looking for something, but, once she was certain nothing was there, she looked back to Celestia and grinned in disbelief.

“Ah, there's the lecture. You almost disappointed me.” Chrysalis tried to smirk, but that soon gave way to a grimace. “It's been months, Celestia.”

Celestia's face flushed, finding it uncomfortable the interrogation had been turned around on her.

“I-I didn't know where to look! I… didn't even know you wanted to be found.”

“Well I _didn't_. Why would I want to be found by someone who means as little to me as _you?_ ” Chrysalis said, tossing her bangs aside and turning her nose up at the ceiling. For a second, hearing that felt like another stab in the back, but, as she noticed Chrysalis still blushing, Celestia flashed a grin and bore down on a counter attack.

“Ah... is that really the best you have? Even without the note, old Chrysalis would have summoned her Hive to drain me of all my love by now. But this Chrysalis hasn't, even though she's not ‘pretending’ to be my ally anymore. That alone is fairly telling.” She gestured subtly at the stone again, pulling the note off of it. “But then you combine it with the fact that this note literally says 'find me’...”

Despite the coolness with which Celestia presented her master stroke, Chrysalis jumped as if lightning had struck the room. Physically attempting to get away from Celestia's pressing, she climbed backwards into the hole with her changelings, poking her head out to fire back.

“I seriously…? Well, th-that could mean anything! Y-You don't know who wrote that! It… it might not even say that!”

“Oh, wow, have I really gotten you that much into a corner?” Celestia said, shifting into a scowl as she paced in front of Chrysalis. “Okay, look. If you can't admit to either of us that you being friends with me was ever a thing, then that's your problem. But I've seen it. Your Hive is struggling. And, given the scale of your last assault, I think you're scared. All you have to do to fix that is to admit that you acted out of fear, Chrysalis. Because then you can begin to make amends, we can help your Hive, and we can bring in whoever did this to you.”

It was at that moment when Celestia remembered, far too late, that cornered creatures will attack when provoked. In that same moment of realization, Celestia's offer inspired a rush of adrenaline to overcome Chrysalis, and she shot back up to get in Celestia's face, nearly ramming into her.

“What do you want me to SAY? Here, I'll say it until I'm green in the face, princess, _I HAVEN'T BEEN MANIPULATED!_ You're just a deluded little featherhead who can't accept when she's WRONG about somepony! Now get OUT of my Hive.” Chrysalis said as she jabbed a hoof into Celestia's chest. Celestia winced, resisting the impulse to retreat in fear. Instead, she bore her teeth and leaned her head down to meet Chrysalis’, the two of their faces so close they could feel each other's breath.

“Of course. If that's what you have to say, then I'll leave.” She spoke through a tightened jaw, resisting the urge to eye Chrysalis over. “I'm in your corner if you're willing to change your story. Prove that you're worth the vote of confidence.”

And like that, Celestia began to walk away. Chrysalis shot up a foreleg to fire back, to find any sort of witty response to end the argument, but she bit her tongue as she felt tears fill up her face. At a loss for a response, she fell back into her hole and sat down. Next to her she saw the picture of Celestia she was holding from before, spots of dirt marking the photo as one of her grubs bit at it. 

Reaching the exit to the chamber, past the dirty water and luminescent fungi, Celestia's intuition told her to stop. In that moment, she turned back to see Chrysalis clutching a grub to her chest. Something about the scene hurt to watch, and Celestia closed her eyes.

_Oh, providence... I pray I'm doing the right thing._


	16. Awake & Asleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have you been getting enough sleep, dear reader? I know it's something you have trouble with. Sleep is very important, so don't put it off if you can help it. 
> 
> If I must be honest, though, I've been having trouble with it too. I'm wracked with terrible visions… images of horse drama… portents of troubling equines… aghast, I shan't think of it! Let us read this chapter to rid our countenance of these horrid phenomena...

The recent snow hadn't melted away from the train stop yet, blanketing it's wooden roof in a silky white that contrasted with the night sky. As the Princesses stepped off the train with their luggage, a wind kicked up that ruffled their scarves, steam from the train disrupting the gentle repose of nature. Luna frowned and blew her scarf out of her face.

“We missed you too, Equestria.”

Turning to leave, the two were blindsided by a wall of confetti and streamers that seemed to erupt from the very ground beneath them. As the party strata settled and they could see again, they were surprised to see four figures standing before them: Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. 

“Welcome back, GUYS!” Pinkie Pie shouted as if it weren't 10 at night, unfurling a big, blue banner that said ‘GREATJOB’ across the front. Luna frowned as if the banner had smacked her in the face, a response in stark contrast with Celestia's pleasant surprise.

“Wow! We only stayed an extra day, girls!” She said, placing her luggage onto the floor. “You didn't have to greet us like this.”

Bursting with a bizarre cocktail of excitement and anxiety, Twilight bounded towards Celestia with a half-asleep Spike on her back.

“Ha, I-I tried to tell them to not do that, but... we've all missed you!” She said, rubbing at her leg. “And how's, uh…”

“Cadance and Shining are all set up at the Crystal Kingdom now. They'll still need time adjusting to the role, but I believe in them. They told me to tell you hello, they'll miss you, and that they are proud of you.” Celestia said, wearing a gentle smile. “I too am quite proud of how you handled the Crystal Kingdom situation, Twilight. You've come a long way since I took you under my wing.”

“Thank you, Princess!” Twilight beamed as another chilling breeze rolled in, undercutting her inflated ego. She hesitated to ask her next question, but some force compelled her to ask anyway. “So... they'll really be staying over there from now on, huh?”

Twilight wasn't sure what she was expecting when Celestia nodded in the affirmative, and that was what it took for it to finally dawn upon her what Cadance and Shining's new role meant. Defeated, Twilight's ears folded back in disappointment.

“Of... course. Well... that's okay! The Crystal Kingdom’s not… not that far away, right?”

“Yes. Not not that far away.” Spike said, crossing his little arms and rolling over on Twilight's back. “Can I go to bed now? It's cold.”

The wind carried Spike's protesting off to the other end of the platform, where Luna was accosting her greeters. Pinkie Pie had the same dumb grin she always seemed to wear, but Fluttershy was stumbling all over herself, struggling to form even simple sentences as the dark blue Princess stared her down. 

“Well, you see… the others were, uh… busy. Honest.”

As if to lock onto her target, Luna narrowed her eyes at the wilting pegasus.

“The two of you intend to ruin my life.”

“Well, why would we want to do that?” Pinkie Pie said, grabbing Fluttershy and putting on big, innocent eyes. “We just wanted you to know somepony missed you, too!”

“Hmph.” Luna snorted, not moving an inch. “Celestia and I have business. Your dragon friend needs his rest. Tarry for me no longer.”

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy looked at each other for a second, communicating to each other through the use of various expressions; frowns, smiles, blinks, and so on, but not a single word. In the end, Pinkie was the one to turn back to Luna.

“Alright! Well, I guess we’ll see you later!” Pinkie Pie cheered as she bounced off with Fluttershy, the pair joining with Twilight as they waved everypony goodbye and left through the station building.

The two Princesses were now alone as quickly as they were visited, save for the sound of the wind. Given little reason to stay further, they continued on their journey, moving through the station and out to its front. Celestia lagged behind as she bounced from hoof to hoof, sneaking up on Luna with a mischievous smile. 

“Can't help but notice who you were talking to, Luna…” She said in a lyrical tone, dropping herself onto the bench beside the front door. Ambushed, Luna blushed and shuffled to the edge of the station.

“Now don't you get started too.”

“Hee hee.”

Noticing movement from the corner of her eye, Celestia glanced to the side and spotted a white unicorn in a black cloak disappear around the corner. 

“Hm.” She hummed in curiosity. Looking down, she saw a newspaper resting on the bench next to her, and she picked it up to look at the front page. There she was surprised to see a blown up image of herself and Chrysalis conversing, and above said image was written the title in bold, black letters:

_PRINCESS CELESTIA: In Bed With the Changelings?_

She chuckled to herself.

“Pfft. I wish I was, pal.” Celestia said as she crumpled the newspaper into a ball and tossed it over her head. “Ugh. Where'd that Blue Jay even get that photo? It's totally out of context. Can you believe the newspapers give him so much precious text space, Luna?”

Opening her mouth, Luna went to reply, but first she hesitated, shuffling in her spot at the edge of the platform. She scanned the area, ensuring nopony else was there, then faced her sister.

“The Celestia I know wouldn't be so quick to criticize the press. And, well... don't you think it's possible he has a... bit of a point?”

“What?” Celestia popped her head up in shock. “How could you say that, Luna? I haven't done anything wrong. Just my due diligence.”

Far past the point of no return, Luna sighed audibly, resigning herself to her fate.

“Alright. I’ve been trying to be a better sister, Celestia. To make up for… history. But then I realize I've tried to hold my tongue before, and that in the end it only made things worse. So I won't.” She took a big breath, steeling her nerves. “Your self-righteousness has gotten out of hand as of late. If ponies begin to wonder if you’re misusing your station, then I can't blame them. Your actions have consequences.”

Indignant, Celestia hopped up to eye level with Luna and shuffled over to where she was standing.

“That’s not tr-” Celestia bit her tongue and swallowed flame back as she realized the irony of what she was about to say. Readjusting her position, she straightened out her scarf. “Okay. Perhaps... you have a point. I want to say I've changed my ways over these 1000 years, made sure I wasn't the pony I was back then, but... amongst all the things that've happened recently, it's possible I might’ve regressed a little back into being a crummy sister.”

A pout appeared on Luna's face. Despite getting what she wanted, she still felt some kind of guilty for wanting an apology. Unable to hold on to her frustration, Luna moved in an attempt a hug.

“Oh, Celie, you're not-”

“Princesses!” 

The sisters spun around on the spot to the source of the sudden shout only to see a trio of royal guards on the platform, the one in front a tan, armored stallion.

“Flash Sentry! Goodness!” Luna said, heart still racing from the shock.

“Pardon our interruption, ma'am. We are here to take you to the castle! Time is of the essence.”

Nearly in unison, the sisters shared a concerned glance. Celestia shook her head and faced Flash again with a haggard smile.

“Not even going to give us a moment to breathe, huh?”

Canterlot castle was a wholly different beast at night. The structure was massive and looming against the canvas of the sky, it's spires like teeth and illuminated windows like eyes. Celestia and Luna were funneled efficiently through its stone brick vessels, rushed along by its blood-like guards. With a great apprehension that had built over a long, wordless trip, the sisters arrived at the castle's cells. They appeared to be currently under construction, chunks of wall taken out and sheets of lead being taken in.

Their true destination was a little further ahead: the interrogation room, locked behind a heavy steel door. The stomach of this metaphor, perhaps? It would only makes sense, then, that Celestia's heart sank into her own as she heaved the metal door open and looked inside.

Flash Sentry walked ahead of the Princesses to stand in front of the one-way mirror, behind which was, slumped over, a dejected, lifeless Chrysalis chained to the table. Flash removed his helmet in anticipation of what he had to say.

“We… found her wandering the grounds 4 hours ago. She submitted without a fight. Her only request was to see you, ma'am, and she's refused to speak to anypony else since then. I-It was the guard captain’s call that not requesting you would be a security r-” Flash was quieted by Celestia tapping him on the shoulder.

“I understand, son. I'll get her talking.”

“Be careful, sister.” Luna said, frozen still at the doorway. Celestia stopped to look back at Luna and purse her lips before finally stepping into the room with Chrysalis.

The only light source was a yellowed ray produced by the swaying ceiling lamp, the only sound it's electrical flicker. Chrysalis lay her head face down on the table, hidden behind her forelegs. She didn't move a muscle, not even when Celestia entered the room and shut the door behind her, not even when Celestia slid a chair out and sat across from her. Celestia leaned on her forelegs and dipped her head into the light, crossing the gap between the two of them.

“Chrys.”

At last Chrysalis lifted her head up and looked Celestia in the eyes. Her gaze yielded nothing but exhaustion, and her mouth was in the same frown that it always was. Celestia's mouth reciprocated and she shook her head.

“Chrys, what are you doing here?”

Hearing Celestia speak broke Chrysalis’ concentration this time, causing her to break eye contact and bite her lower lip.

“I… thought I could have everything.” She said with a creaky voice. “But I lied. I _was_ being manipulated. And things got... messed... up.”

“Manipulated? By who? Messed up how?” Celestia leaned in, concern on her face. The moment she was within reach, Chrysalis snapped up Celestia's hoof in her own, causing Celestia to jump. Chrysalis pressed on her needily as she spoke.

“Th-they're going… they're all going to starve. I... can't even get them to mobilize. I have to do something. You're right. I have to. You're right, Celestia.” She said, her wavering voice just managing to get out the words.

Witnessing Chrysalis in such a shaken state stuck a sharp sensation in Celestia's chest. Struggling to keep the sensation down, she paused to consider her next move, scanning her eyes over Chrysalis’ face for tells of any kind; a twitch, a smirk, a movement of the eye.

But she couldn't. It became too much. Pain spilling out of her body, Celestia took the leap as she placed her free hoof over Chrysalis’ and squeezed back.

“Yeah? And what's that you have to do?”

“I… am... no longer in a position to be choosy. If you think your way of life is so... much better... then _prove_ it to me.”

“Y-You got it.” Celestia said, forcing herself to speak as her body began to vibrate with energy. “Is anything pressuring us to act hastily? Is time of the essence?”

“Not quite yet, I just…” Chrysalis finally remade eye contact with Celestia and bore her teeth. “Don't lollygag.”

Celestia nodded with her entire body, shaking the table.

“Okay. I'm going to go back out there, and we're going to talk about what we're going to do for your changelings, okay? You, me, Luna, we'll all figure this out. Okay?”

They shared a quiet moment amongst the yellow light, looking into each other's eyes as if in recognition that this might be the last one they'll be having for a long time. After a few seconds, Chrysalis finally returned a hesitant nod, Celestia's signal to stand up and leave. She tried to pull out of Chrysalis’ grasp, but Chrysalis held on for just a second longer, sure Celestia wouldn't notice. And even though Celestia did notice, she spared Chrysalis the mercy of not pointing it out.

Returning to the observation room, Celestia was surprised to find Kibitz among the group, still wearing his brown night robes and signature furious scowl. Luna acted as a feathery wall to block his entry at the door, but, as Celestia showed her face, Kibitz mustered some sort of energy reserve to force his way past and accost Celestia.

“What's the MEANING of all this, Princess? You were _talking_ to her?” He said, adjusting his glasses like it would make the situation less absurd. 

Before Celestia could respond, Luna materialized between the two of them with a puff of smoke and repulsed Kibitz with her hoof.

“Indeed, Kibitz. And what did Chrysalis tell you, sister?” She said, whipping her head around to stare Celestia down.

“Oh, uh… hello, everypony. Well, how do I put this…?” Celestia sighed. There wasn't really any way around it. “Chrysalis comes to us peacefully. She seeks aid for her subjects.”

Kibitz's eyebrows shot up and he scoffed loud enough that, in the other room, Chrysalis’ ear twitched.

“Oh, how wonderful! I would have LOVED if she had thought of that two weeks ago.” He said with a dismissive wave of his hoof, lighting an indignant fire inside of Celestia that caused her to tower over Luna's shoulder and get in Kibitz's face.

“This is a _crisis_ , Kibitz! We should have been prepared to help _yesterday!_ ”

“Huh. You appear to have inferred my stance before I even said what it was. Impressive.” He narrowed his half-awake eyes into sharp edges, standing on the tips of his hooves to get line of sight over Luna. “Now what I find rich is that you take this witch at her word and stop naught a moment to consider this might be a scheme to place another dagger in your back.”

Celestia narrowed her eyes in kind, leaning over her sister to get closer to Kibitz.

“Oh, you think she might be lying? How about I take you down to the Hive so you can see for yourself? We can survey the suffering innocents!” 

“Hmph, of course! You're picking your latest little THING over your faithful advisor! She teach you in the ways of emotional manipulation, too?”

As they argued more and more, Kibitz and Celestia pushed Luna further and further down. Soon she was nearly on the ground and, at her breaking point, Luna flung them off with a flare of magical light.

“CEASE THIS! The two of you _must_ discard this childish argument, posthaste! Kibitz, Celestia is making an excellent point! She has an eyewitness account and you are simply being rude because it is late! Celestia, this is not your call to make alone! Our niece runs a kingdom _proper_ now, but, even if she wasn't, I'd hope you would take her feelings into account!”

Luna's rebuttal reduced Kibitz to an annoyed silence but hit Celestia like a train, and the righteous conviction with which she had strode forward crawled to a halt. Surveying the observation room, she realized how her guards trembled, and with a single, big intake of air, she reeled herself back in.

“Yes, of course. I realize Cadance's interests are at play here too, Luna. And she will have a say in what we do with Chrysalis. But I'm going to help no matter what she ends up saying.”

“And I don't think she would stop you. I just needed to hear you say that.”

Readjusting his collar, Kibitz sat down in one of the empty chairs facing the interrogation room and scowled, little option to do anything else.

“Do you even have a _plan_ , Princess?”

Celestia snorted.

“Of course I have a _plan_ , Kibitz. Planning things is my hobby.” She said as she looked back through the mirror at Chrysalis. “Now our squabbling doesn’t mean much until Cadance arrives in Canterlot, but it seems the cells are a no-go. So does anyone else know where we’re keeping her for tonight?”

The question struck everyone as if they hadn't considered it yet, and they began to look back and forth to see if anyone else had an answer. Eventually Flash, who had been standing in the corner stone-silent waiting for the royalty to come up with a plan, saw an opportunity to give his input.

“Well, I may have an idea.” Everypony turned to look at him, causing him to choke. “B-Because... you're right, the cells are still being updated to our new standard of security, so she can't go there unless you're fine with her being able to teleport out. And me and the boys were talking about it earlier while we were waiting around, trying to think of one place that wouldn't pose any security risk, and, well...”

The suggestion put a knowing smile on Celestia's face, and with a wave of her hoof she motioned for him to continue.

“Shoot, son.”

For a second time Celestia entered the interrogation room, this time with two guards in tow. Chrysalis hadn't moved from her spot by a single muscle since last time, almost seeming to grow over with moss and fuse to the table. Celestia felt bad she had to disturb her peaceful rest, but some things can't be avoided.

“I’m back! How's it going?” She whispered, trying her best to be both cheery and minimally jarring.

This time, Chrysalis didn't bother to bring her head up in response to Celestia's voice, instead opting to roll in place and reveal her mouth, the crunchy sound of disturbed mold filling the room.

“I think I have achieved a new state of consciousness.”

Despite how odd it was that Chrysalis appeared to be growing foliage, Celestia grew a bemused smile

“I’d believe it. You look like you’ve been awake for a _long_ time.” She approached the table and pulled apart Chrysalis’ chains with little effort, releasing her from the beat-up piece of furniture with two sparks of golden light. “Come on. You can clean this up later.”

“Where... are you taking me?”

“Where you'll be staying for the night. Stand up.”

At the command, Chrysalis finally picked her head up off the table and scowled.

“I bet you're looking at me and thinking ‘she's so pitiful’.”

“I'm not.”

Chrysalis’ scowl curled into a smirk.

“Hmph. That only proves my point.”

With a single motion, her patience already worn far too thin, Celestia swept Chrysalis up and laid her stomach-down onto her broad back.

“Oh, whining won't save you now. You're far past the Rubicon on that one.”

“Ah. Iacta alea est.” Chrysalis rattled as her jaw pressed into the back of Celestia's neck, a faceful of the Princess’ flowing blue mane blinding her.

Celestia was shocked to find that Chrysalis didn't even bother to try resisting being thrown into a firestallion carry, a point that caused her eyebrow to raise in curiosity. As she turned to leave the interrogation room, she caught the guards whispering something to each other, but they stopped and saluted her in the same instant they were found out.

Refusing to give what they were talking about a second thought, Celestia strode forward and back into the observation room. Upon seeing the stunt Celestia was pulling now, Kibitz turned solid like a stone statue.

“I'm going back to bed.”

“Sounds like a lovely idea.” Luna said, approaching Celestia with a smirk. “We're talking about this later, sister.”

“Count on it. Excellent work today, everypony.”

Along the trek, the swaying of Celestia's steps lured Chrysalis in and out of consciousness; each time she returned to the waking world, spears were in her face, and, each time she slipped away to the dreaming world, she could only dream of dove’s feathers. At some point along the way, Chrysalis lost track of which was which.

Eventually, she was rudely awakened as Celestia skid to a halt in front of a nondescript door. Squeezing tight onto Celestia's back for leverage, Chrysalis looked around, blinking the sleep out of her eyes as she realized they were in one of the castle halls.

“This… doesn't look like a prison. Where are you sweeping me off to now?”

Try not to vibrate out of existence as Chrysalis grappled her, Celestia produced a key and a sneaky grin.

“A very... specific place. Both one of the most secure locations in Canterlot and the one place that contains nothing you can abuse. Its walls lined with lead to prevent teleportation or x-ray vision, the door constantly patrolled by guard, surveilled by arcane eye, secured with arcane locks, alarms, glyphs of warding…” She unlocked and pushed the door open with a single motion, stepping inside to reveal a restricted space patterned with book-filled bookcases and a single table. “Our study.”

Blinking in disbelief, Chrysalis was at this point certain that she was already asleep. Might as well roll with it.

“Seems like a lot of… magic nonsense for a room with a bunch of books in it.”

“Yes, security everywhere has been redoubled as of late. Even here. Though the measures are normally in place to keep things _out_ not _in_...” Celestia said as she approached a nondescript wall panel and pulled it out to reveal a hidden bed. “Here. This is pretty much for late-night situations like this. Pretty much.”

Now this was definitely a dream. Maybe a nightmare.

“If I'm not asleep, I'm being detained by a fool.”

“The smartest fool you've ever met. And no, you're still awake. I think.”

“Wouldn't a dream tell me that?” Chrysalis said in a contrarian tone as Celestia pulled her off her back and tucked her into bed. “Don't- ugh. If I'm awake, then don't fuss over me, Celestia. You don't have to. Help _them_.”

“Of course. One thing at a time.” Celestia looked over Chrysalis to make sure she was comfortable, but, in the process, an inescapable sense of misery and warmth overcame her. “Is this... something you would dream about?”

As if Celestia's question beckoned her back from unconsciousness, Chrysalis craned her neck back up and used the last of her venom to summon a powerful frown towards Celestia.

“Don't act like we're friends. We’re not friends.” She said, just managing to finish her sentence as she at last fell asleep and her head fell back to the pillow. Her displeased expression only seemed to worsen as the darkness behind her eyelids took hold. “We’re. Not. I don't... know… pourquoi… tu… m'aimes...”

“Wh… what?”

But she was already asleep.

There was something cruel about this fate Celestia suffered, being forced to ruminate upon Chrysalis’ cryptic words alone. Even worse was how she couldn't stop thinking to herself how beautiful Chrysalis was while she slept, even if her sleeping was troubled. And when Celestia had that thought, a pervasive guilt dragged her head low.

It was then that weariness caught up with Celestia as well, and she sat down on the floor next to Chrysalis, crossing her forelegs over a free spot on the mattress to rest her head. She stared into Chrysalis’ enchanting face one final time that night and sighed as she felt her heart beating again.

“I have no idea what I should think about you.”


	17. Show & Tell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sleepovers are pretty fun. Ironically, the actual sleeping part isn't all that fun, and waking up the next morning is even worse, but maybe that's just a matter of personal opinion. But you're there to hang out with friends, anyway, right? Gossip a bit?
> 
> I suppose it gets a little more complicated when you're older. And the sleepover only involves two adults. And you've got kids now. And you bring them to meet your new friend.
> 
> I think I might have anxiety problems? I'm not sure where I was going with this.

It was chasing her.

The twisted, gnarled thicket blotting out the night sky made it difficult to see further than a few inches ahead of her face, but the adrenaline surging through her body made it difficult to consider slowing down for even a second. Even the sound of her hooves snapping branches couldn't guide her, as the sounds it made as it chased her with its many legs seemed to make the entire swamp shiver. She only had one choice, and that choice was to run into the darkness blind.

Where was home anymore, anyway? Was she heading in the right direction? Or was she leading it right back to her nest, leading it directly to them? She stepped to the right, peeking over her shoulder for a moment, and, when she did, innumerable green orbs stared back at her, seeming to only grow bigger and bigger as it's thin legs bounded towards her and reached out. Soon, it had her, then everything was black, then-

Chrysalis let out a gasp, releasing her tensed muscles as a soft bed appeared under her, only realizing afterwards she was back in Celestia's study. There she lay motionless, absorbing the newfound warmth with eyes still closed, coming off of her adrenaline high. Soon, she realized her hooves were around something harder than a pillow, and, after blinking the sleep from her eyes, she was shocked to find her vision focus upon Celestia's flawless face resting just an inch away. 

In a panic, Chrysalis snatched her hooves away from around Celestia's head and smacked against the wall, resisting the urge to yelp as she clapped her hooves over her mouth. 

“Nopony… saw... that...” She said, whispering between gasps of air, an odd sensation in her chest. “That... wasn't real.” 

Wresting control of her breath, she stood up and clambered off the bed and onto the floor, making sure to step down hoof by hoof without making a single noise.

Now free of her... awkward situation, Chrysalis began to scan her surroundings out of instinct, making certain not to look directly at Celestia again. The sun had not risen yet, but it was no matter; though the ponies made such a point out of their mastery of the Sun, the changelings and their keen darkvision saw little use in the overblown ball of hot air. 

Nothing of note had changed about the study since last night, and thorough investigation of the bookcases revealed little; old divination textbooks, an errant manual on acting, notebooks filled with writing. For a moment she thought she'd found something juicy, stumbling upon a loose paper pressed inside a book, but found it was little more than a sketch of a female unicorn possessing a golden coat and icy-blue mane. In other words, completely useless. But as she moved to the table, Chrysalis locked eyes onto a peculiar box tucked in the back, and a mischievous smile appeared on her face.

Despite how unsavory she found the experience, she glanced back to make sure Celestia was still asleep before sliding the box out into the center of the room. With ease, she snapped open the clear tape seal only to be greeted by ream after ream of paper, each one marked with the Princess’ infuriating, proper writing.

_Th-There's… so much…?_

She sat down and grabbed one of the pages resting at the top, labeled “The Lone & the Lost, v. 18.1”, but was surprised to realize it had been stapled to at least 50 other pages. Shrugging, she pulled the entire stack out and flipped through the first couple sheets. Within seconds of skimming their contents, Chrysalis realized that what she was holding was none other than the most recent in the line of dozens of rough drafts for a Celestia-written screenplay. 

And quite the corny one, at that. Perhaps even derivative.

_Oh my, my, my. Now THIS is scandalous. Show me EVERYTHING, CeCe._

A surprising amount of time went into setting up the world and it's characters; at least 10 overwrought pages, minimum. With a played-up yawn, Chrysalis skipped about 14 pages ahead and stumbled upon a key moment; PROTAGONIST and LOVE INTEREST, on a hill underneath the stars. The night up to that moment could not have gone better. Looking each other in the eye, at last, they-

“Good morning.”

Chrysalis shoved the screenplay back into the box, closed it up, and slid it under the table all in a single motion before spinning around to face the now-awake Celestia sitting off the edge of the bed. They blinked at each other in silence for some time, one side tight-lipped and the other still rubbing their eyes. Breaking the ice, Celestia began to run her hooves through her tangled mane.

“Find anything, uh... interesting over there?”

“No.” Chrysalis shot back and turned in her seat. “You're remarkably unremarkable.”

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that.” Celestia stood up and stretched, her now-perfect mane furling out. She glided over to Chrysalis and loomed over her, sighing to herself as she noticed the opened box. “Today... is not going to be fun.”

Chrysalis looked up at the tall Celestia and crossed her forelegs, unimpressed.

“So the usual, then.”

“Surrender to enemy nations a lot?” 

To their convenience, the halls were still empty that time of morning, and there was a dining room on their side of the castle, meaning their trip there was speedy. Despite the icy wall she had maintained, Chrysalis hovered just behind Celestia the whole way, wavering so close she almost bumped into Celestia as she stopped to open the door.

The air of the dining room was heavy, as if a millenia's worth of friendly gatherings had congealed into the very atmosphere surrounding the royal pair. A sizable vase of honeyflower and violet pansies drew the eye to the center, and there were many seats -- at least a dozen, enough to accommodate a party -- but today they only needed two, and that only made the room seem heavier.

“You sure you don't want anything? I don't know a lot about changeling dietary needs, but if I woke up Eclair he could probably figure out… something.” Celestia said, presenting a chair to Chrysalis.

“No.” Chrysalis fired back, not hesitating to sit at the table.

“Okay, but you're missing out...” Celestia paused before she could sit in her own chair with her standard plate of waffles, ear twitching with the sense she’d forgotten something. Looking at the clock, she jumped as she saw it was seconds away from 6 AM -- the PRECISE moment the Sun was meant to rise. “Oh, no!”

In a single motion, Celestia slid her plate onto the table, spun to face the window, and plucked the Sun over the horizon with a practiced, effortless confidence the same instant the clock struck 6. 

“Phew, I'm off routine.... I shouldn't have slept in the study last night, huh?” She said, chuckling to herself. As she turned back around, there was a second Celestia swore Chrysalis seemed impressed, but that moment was covered up as Chrysalis turned her nose up and huffed.

Shaking her head, Celestia finally took her seat.

“I feel odd being the only one to eat right now…” Celestia said, looking up at Chrysalis for a response, and what she got back was...

Silence.

Celestia bit her cheek.

“Uh… hm... well, we're pretty much waiting for Cadance to arrive, so...” She said, looking up from her plate again. Chrysalis stood strong, refusing to budge an inch from her seat cater-corner to the Princess. Celestia began to sweat and, running out of options, clapped her hooves together. “Hey, let's focus on something more positive! Like helping your changelings. Where should we begin?”

“Why are you asking the glorified prisoner of war?” Chrysalis said in a pointed response, at last breaking her icy exterior and causing Celestia's feverish sweating to break. Celestia smiled to herself.

_Phew. Progress._

“Well, I don't know if I would say that! As long as I have anything to say about it, you will have a say in this process.” Celestia said, nudging Chrysalis as she produced a scroll and quill. “So I'll ask again. I've been thinking… how do you feel about calling it ‘The Hunger Project’?”

In the same moment Celestia's words had come out of her mouth, Chrysalis had crumpled up her snout and stuck her tongue out in disgust.

“The _HUNGER PROJECT?_ Eugh. Well, for starters, I hate that name. Change the name.”

“O-kay. I liked ‘The Hunger Project’, but I guess we'll have to do some workshopping…” Celestia said as she scribbled notes, her ears twitching as she tried to not let them droop. “Moving on to point #2, then. How do you actually want to... do this? Is there a way we could bank the love, or should we just start assigning changelings to ponies, or maybe you had your own ideas…?”

The sun shining through the window behind Celestia got in Chrysalis’ eyes, and she was forced to look down and away.

“My ideas are... bad. The original one involved _pillaging._ ” She mused, rubbing her chin. After some thinking, she shook her head. “No. It would be a massacre if we tried to address the lot all at once. We have to be more thoughtful than that. Start small.”

Seeming to brighten up at the concept, Celestia began to grin.

“Hey, that's an excellent idea! Let's start _small!_ Who are the least impulsive of your changelings, then? I have a delegate meeting in an hour I could stall during while you go grab a couple. You'd have to leave right now, but they won't even notice you're gone!”

Chrysalis shot up in her seat.

“You'd… trust me to come back?”

“Yeah. What are you going to do? Stage a coup?” Celestia said, propping herself up on the table with one of her forelegs. “I mean, sure, you snooping around this morning didn't earn you any points, but if you were going to betray me again, you would've tried to do it while I was asleep. You'll come back.”

The cool pose Celestia had struck caused Chrysalis to gulp, and she just managed to camouflage her flustered response by covering her mouth in a facsimile of deep thought. Wind from outside fluttered the clear-white curtains nearby as she bit her lip.

_So my test has already begun..._

“Least impulsive, you say? Hm… Oh.” Chrysalis smacked her forehead as it hit her what her only options were. “Oh, NO.” 

“Oh no...?”

Standing up out of her chair, Chrysalis unleashed a loud groan.

“Okay. FINE. I know EXACTLY who I'm taking.” She stepped away from the table intending to teleport away, but something stopped her from going any further. As if compelled by some force, she swiveled on her heel and twirled a bit of her mane as she faced Celestia. “I'll… be back?”

Celestia waved goodbye and smiled her bright, awful smile.

“Good luck!”

For a moment, Chrysalis was starstruck, unsure how to respond to Celestia's cheery well-wishing. Not wanting to dwell upon it too long, she looked around before waving back to her and, at last, disappearing in a gout of flame.

A terrible turn of events. Terrible indeed.

* * *

_You disgust me._

“P-Pardon me for asking, your vileness, but should we really be wandering around Canterlot... undisguised…?”

Her patience at this point worn thin, Chrysalis bent her neck around to face the drained Thorax, covering her own mouth in a gesture to quiet the smaller changeling.

“SHUSH! It is highly imperative that you remain QUIET!” She whispered. “You CANNOT let anypony hear you... _not yet!_ ”

At the front of the line following Chrysalis, Elytra lit up out of her starved slump and began to balance on the tips of her hooves.

“Ah, I see! It is a test!”

“IT IS NOT A TEST! IT IS- It is... complicated. But you will be rewarded... if you stay _under control._ ” Chrysalis said through gritted teeth, just managing to choke down her aneurysm by taking a big breath of air. “Now. Princess Celestia is about to walk through the doors at the end of this hall. And when she does, we will resort to… unorthodox tactics. In that moment, you must wield your restraint like fangs bared and _let me do the talking._ ”

“We've been reduced to begging.” Antenna stated matter-of-factly, her meek voice carrying from the back of the line.

Just as she reached the dining room's double doors, Chrysalis skid to a halt and leapt aside the line to shoot a glare towards Antenna.

“NO! We are NOT begging! We're being SMART! It's not begging when you're being SMART. Now sit up straight.”

As if on cue, Celestia burst through the doors behind Chrysalis with a massive bang, causing Chrysalis’ wings to shoot out with a chatter. She snapped around to shout in anger, but fizzled out as she noticed the harrowed look in Celestia's eyes.

“Oh, C-Celestia…”

“Chrys, you're back! Thank goodness. Did you manage to...” Celestia trailed off as she noticed the three small figures standing behind Chrysalis, and her exhaustion seemed to melt away as she jumped over to greet them. “Well, heeey! And just who do we have here?”

For reasons Chrysalis was unable to identify, Celestia's enthusiasm over her changelings froze her solid like a deer in headlights, and she had trouble thinking about how to answer. Buzzing, Chrysalis presented the three of them one by one with a shivering hoof.

“Uh… Well, this is, uh... Elytra, that's Antenna, and... Thorax. Three of my most… well, you know.” She said, turning to Celestia with a rigid approximation of a wry smirk, but she lost her focus as she noticed how energized Celestia was just by hearing the changelings’ names. In fact, Celestia was overwhelming with love, now, absolutely brimming, even, as if she had too much inside her and it was spilling out, and the four changelings found it difficult to restrain themselves in her presence as she stomped the ground.

“Oh, what a pleasure it is to meet you all! I'm looking forward to acquainting myself with you individually.” Celestia said, grabbing Chrysalis and whispering in her ear. “Now I'm glad you're here, Chrys, because they are getting pr-etty impatient in there. I was running out of stall material, and that _never_ happens!”

“Er… okay.” Chrysalis said, nodding as Celestia guided her towards the door, but stopping as she came back to her senses. “Wait! Are, um… they allowed to come?”

She gestured with a slight nod of her head towards Elytra, Thorax, and Antenna, and Celestia's eyebrows popped up.

“Oh! Gosh, of course!”

“G-Good.” Chrysalis said, transitioning from her off-kilter timidity back into her fierce eminence as she commanded her changelings. “THE LOT OF YOU! Follow me.”

In unison, the trio saluted Chrysalis each in their own little way; ever-eager Elytra with her back straightened, ever-nervous Thorax looking at the ground, and ever-mild Antenna in a half-hearted slump. And with that, the five of them marched into the dining room.

“THERE you are! I KNEW Celestia was stalling for a reason. Harrumph.”

The dining room hadn't changed a bit between the few hours Chrysalis was gone. The vase of flowers was still there, untouched, and the room still possessed that odd, pervasive sense of heaviness, only this time it certifiably emanated from the two figures standing at the opposite end of the table; Kibitz, who was already wound up into a ball, and Luna, who was in her seat just managing to keep her eyes open. 

“It is no matter, Kibitz. We-” Luna took pause as she noticed more ponies standing with Celestia than anticipated, counting three commoner changelings in total. Luna shook her head. “I... too see now why my sister was stalling our meeting.”

Kibitz stamped a hoof onto the table.

“Indeed! You let her bring her SOLDIERS here, Celestia?”

Unfaltered, Celestia strode up to the seat across from Kibitz and slid into it, a gust of wind following her and unsettling the tablecloth.

“Yes. We're talking about a _crisis_ , after all. We can't be wasting precious time waiting, Kibitz, we need to be making progress.” She said, gesturing to the seat beside her. “Come, Chrys.”

Standing still like a statue, Chrysalis hadn't moved an inch from the doorway since she had came in, but, as Celestia beckoned her, she jumped back to life. 

“As you wish…” Chrysalis said, tossing her mane aside with a theatrical flair and approaching her seat. “None of them are actually _Soldiers_ , as it were, but I digress…”

Their matriarch now distracted and out of earshot, the not-Soldiers stayed behind at the doorway and looked at each other with jaws agape. As it became obvious no one was going to say anything, Elytra was the first one to break the silence.

“I, uh, hate to say it, but… looks like you weren't far off the mark this time, Antenna. We're begging.” She said, running rigid as another hunger pain hit her. “But I can't say I could complain...”

“Did she say 'three of my most’?” Thorax mused as he stood on the tips of his hooves in an attempt to listen in on the royal conversation. Unable to make out anything, he looked back at Antenna. “What were we the ‘most’ of?”

“Well, if you're here, then it's obvious...” She said, unflinching as she looked him in the eyes. “The most feeble.”

With a clatter, Luna placed a small box on the table.

“It's no matter, Kibitz. We have discussed a... temporary arrangement.” She said with a yawn. “Without Queen Chrysalis or her minions.”

A sinking feeling overtook Chrysalis as she settled into her seat and got the feeling she might regret her flippant behavior. Next to her, Celestia forced herself to make eye contact as she pressed on one of Chrysalis’ hooves.

“I just want to say this wasn't my idea.”

And with that, Chrysalis’ last line snapped and she sank to the bottom of the lake. Turning away from Celestia without returning a response, Chrysalis noticed the curious object Luna had retrieved from her box; what appeared to be a necklace made of polished silver, with a sizable, spherical charm attached to its end, turned in place before the blue Princess.

“What I hold is, indeed, nothing more than a mere silver necklace. However, upon it's latch is placed a glyph, and should the glyph ever be broken through removal of the necklace, or should anypony speak its command phrase, a teleportation spell will automatically banish its wearer to the dungeons.” Luna said as she floated the necklace over the table and presented it to Chrysalis. “This necklace is to remain in place until further notice. Do you find these terms permissible?”

Without moving her neck, Chrysalis glared down at the necklace before her. Looking it over for a second, she pointed her eyes back up and frowned at Luna, uttering not a single word. A cough came from Kibitz across the table.

“If you don't answer we’ll assume they are.” He said as he adjusted his glasses and narrowed his eyes. Chrysalis slumped against her chair like she had been knocked down, a small part of her finally giving in. She looked to Celestia in a last, desperate plea, baring her teeth.

“This is somehow the most humiliating thing that's ever happened to me. And that's saying something, now.”

This time, Celestia couldn't handle the eye contact, and she broke it by dropping her head low.

“I'm sorry, it's… the least restrictive thing they would agree to. After a while, I'm sure you won't even notice it’s there.” 

Of course.

All Chrysalis could do was chuckle to herself as she thought about how well and thoroughly she was finished. As if to make a point, she grabbed the necklace and looped it around her neck without giving it a second look, the click of the clasp closing around her neck punctuating the point of no return. 

“Is that it? Can I leave?” She said with a low tone that could barely contain her bubbling frustration. Kibitz rubbed at his mustache, not wanting to say yes but not having anything else to keep her here.

“Hrm… Princess Cadance will still be a moment. There isn't much to do without her, alas… I suppose we could shove you back into the study...”

Seeing her moment to strike, Celestia picked her head back up.

“Oh, yes! I had plans for Chrysalis in the interim. Though I suppose that may be obvious...” She said, gesturing towards the guests at the other end of the room. Luna came back to her senses and leaned on the table to consider Celestia's request.

“Ah, hmm… I suppose, so long as she doesn't leave the castle grounds, it would be good to have somepony with an eye on her…” She said, rubbing her eyes. “And dare I say it could be a test of sorts?”

Chrysalis had to resist growling at the concept, but the affirmative response brought Celestia's spirits back up a little.

“That's a great way to look at it, sister!”

His bosses coming to a consensus, and left with little recourse, Kibitz rolled his eyes.

“Hmph. Fine. I have another meeting with our secretive benefactor, anyhow.” He scowled, jumping out of his seat and signaling for everyone to break. Luna, happy with the results, poofed away in a puff of smoke, presumably to somewhere with a bed. In turn, Celestia hopped up and offered her hoof to help Chrysalis out of her chair.

“See? You performed an act of good faith, and now we're free to do the stuff _you_ want to do!”

Somehow, all of the resentment Chrysalis had built up dissolved as she looked at the offered hoof. She felt the urge to gulp.

“Is death an option on the menu?”

“O-kay, so excluding that. I'm talking about your changelings, Chrys!” Celestia said, gesturing towards the trio as Kibitz passed them out of the room with a grunt. “How did you want to help them?”

The question struck Chrysalis like a train, as if she hadn't considered it -- or, rather, as if she had been avoiding considering it.

“Oh, um…” She gulped, finally taking Celestia's hoof and pulling herself to her hooves. “Well… we… give... them kindness?”

Celestia gave a coy smile.

“Oh, how convenient. I like to consider that my _specialty._ ” She said with a wink that reverberated in Chrysalis’ head, reverberated even as Celestia skipped towards her changelings and saluted them. “Hi, everyone! Now I really do appreciate your patience, because I think you've all been pretty gr-”

A litany of hissing and biting drowned out the Princess mid-greeting as instinct took over the starving changelings and Celestia jumped an entire step backwards out of terror, grabbing and using Chrysalis as a shield.

“ACK! _Chrysalis!_ What was _THAT!?_ ”

Unable to restrain her mirth, Chrysalis began to laugh until she broke into a demented, full-bodied cackle that seemed to summon a gust of air that threatened to douse the sconces on the walls.

“What? I didn't say feeding them would be pleasant! Come now, they don't even bite.”

Hearing that, one of the changelings stepped forward despite the potent fear running through his body.

“No, um…” Thorax choked as everyone looked at him at the same time, but the inertia had already taken him and the rest of his statement tripped out of his mouth. “N-No, I'm sorry! I-I think… I think I can... do better... than that? Without the nastiness!”

In unison, Chrysalis, Antenna, and Elytra tilted their heads in confusion at Thorax, but Celestia's eyes lit up with an inspired glimmer as she pointed at him. 

“Oh. Oh, I like this one. This is a very good boy. And your name is...?”

“Th-Thorax!” He said, scooting back into the door, fumbling under the scrutiny.

“Thorax. Hm. What you've said is very insightful, son.” Celestia looked at Chrysalis with a warm smile. “Seems like you've done something right, Chrys.”

A nervous energy in her chest, Chrysalis was dumbstruck by the one-two punch of Thorax's dissension and the vexing ardor it inspired within Celestia. She bit her lip, staunching herself against the twin-pronged onslaught.

“I-I suppose, in these dark days, even _Thorax's_ ideas might have their place...” She said, a cold sweat forming on her temples as she looked to Thorax. “When the Princess... complimented you... how did that feel? The hunger, is it... any better?”

Thorax stumbled at the direct interrogation, his entire body jittering. He looked down, looked deep within to try and probe for any change in his state, physical or emotional, and he shot his head back up as he found a small spark of light manifesting within him.

“I… I-I think so, my Queen!”

“Oh.” Chrysalis’ eyes widened, her worst fears confirmed, and she stepped backwards a touch. “Is that the case…?”

For reasons she was not yet able to let herself understand, hearing that Celestia might have been right all along made Chrysalis feel terribly, horribly guilty, forming a deep, untrenchable guilt deep within her gut, and, back on the table, resting in the heavy air, the big vase of flowers began to wilt ever so slightly, a trace of withering forming on their petals’ edges. And even though the 5 of them moved onto a different room, a part of Chrysalis stayed there, trapped in an instant of time.


	18. Hide & Seek

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wait, wait, I'm not ready yet! Can this chapter wait until I find my keys? I swear I left them around here somewhere… I can't start driving this plot forward until I find my keys!
> 
> ...
> 
> Since when did this space become a bad joke I have to come up with at the last second every two weeks? Why do I torment myself? Anyway, here’s chapter 18 in a 40 chapter fic.

The clock had struck noon, it's resonant chime echoing through the castle and washing over the group of 6 exactly 12 times. As she felt the shifting vibration in the walls, Chrysalis was unsettled with thoughts of her Hive and the tension it put in her forced her to sit up straight. Across from the dark corner of the ceiling Chrysalis had found for herself, there she saw on the floor below Celestia and her awkward attempts to connect with the changelings sitting by one of the library's bookcases. In that moment, the urge to stand up and move overcame Chrysalis and she found the sensation to be difficult to resist.

Celestia was in the middle of attempting to present her third book, ‘The Impact of Weather Magic on the Ecology of 3rd Century Post Eclipse ’, when she heard the distinct sound of hoofstep and the slight clatter of a silver necklace above her. Looking up from the confused faces of her audience, Celestia saw the Chrysalis attached to said necklace stuck to the ceiling.

“I need to go back. Right now.”

“Okay, uh... hold- hold on, everyone. Let me just...” Celestia fumbled with the book for a second and slammed it shut. “Come down from the ceiling, Chrys, I promise it’ll be any minute now. Wasn't it your idea to start small, anyway?”

Clambering onto the wall and down to the floor, Chrysalis rubbed her chin and began to run her eyes around in an exaggeration of careful thought.

“Gee, was it? Well, I've got another idea! Perhaps the adults will need careful handling, but the young, the grubs… surely retrieving them will be a trifle, yes?”

Now trapped between the royal pair, Elytra, Thorax, and Antenna had little recourse to do anything but stand alert and look between the two as Celestia gave pause at the suggestion.

“Oh, uh… well, yes. I think you might be onto something. It would depend on-”

“P-Pardon.”

A shaky voice emanated from the door and cut through Celestia's thread of thought. Turning to see the source of the interruption, Celestia saw a guard clattering in his suit of armor as his eyes darted between the four changelings standing behind her. Celestia sighed as she recognized the guard.

“Oh, is it that Governor again? Repeat to him that something's come up at the last minute today. The matter can wait.”

“P-Princess Cadance has arrived, ma'am! Sh-She's… requesting the both of you!”

Nearly tripping from the rug being pulled out from under her, Celestia's eyebrows popped up in surprise.

“Oh! Oh. Tell her we will be right down, then.”

The guard didn't waste a second to nod before shooting out of the room. When Celestia turned back to her guests, she jumped as she saw Chrysalis now standing within an inch from her face, a grim expression on her face.

“So… _we..._ must go now, then?”

The arrested fear with which Chrysalis whispered to Celestia shook deep within the Princess’ core, something in Chrysalis’ eyes blindsiding her. Celestia stood frozen for a second, unsure of how to respond, or what it was she was even _sensing_. Finding the intimate eye contact to be too much, Celestia looked behind Chrysalis at the three changelings she had been acquainting herself with not a minute before, and then it clicked.

“Th-Thank you so much for appearing at such short notice! You've... truly done a great deed for us!”

It was quiet in the antechamber leading to the throne room, empty despite it being the time of day when the usual group of nobles vying for attention would have been camped out. Instead, there was another group, 8 individuals deep, standing before the door leading to the throne.

“Of course, Princess! Anything for you. Especially if my sister-in-law is involved!” Twilight said with a cheery, dutiful smile. Not wanting to be rude, she addressed Chrysalis with a wave. “Hello, Miss Rhipheus! It's been a-”

Twilight clammed up when she noticed Chrysalis’ venomous glare, an intense wave of contempt radiating off of the mare that baffled Twilight. Before conflict could ignite, Celestia inserted herself between the two, wiping the sweat from her brow as she laughed nervously.

“Ah ha, anyhow! It's a… a... bit of an emergency! Every Princess has been summoned, including Cadance, and it's been quite... _inconveniencing_ for her. So we need you to… occupy? These emissaries? S-Snowdust… Gem Wish… and…” Celestia listed off each of the disguised changelings one by one, pointing at Antenna then Elytra, freezing up on Thorax as she ran out of names. “And. Uh. Uh. Crystal. Hoof. Yes.”

Celestia held her breath as she looked back, but let it go again as she noticed Twilight trembling with excitement, so much so that Spike struggled to stay on her back. A direct mission, from the _Princess_ , so soon after the previous one? Somepony's a favorite pupil.

“Consider it done, Princess!” She said as she saluted with every muscle in her body.

“Excellent! We shall return once the... situation resolves.” Celestia said, grabbing and struggling to shove Chrysalis into the throne room, but Chrysalis resisted in an attempt to glare at Twilight as long as she could. Soon, Celestia's brute strength overcame Chrysalis’ raw contempt, and they tumbled through the throne room door.

The moment the royal pair was gone, Twilight shook her head and produced a map of the castle from one of her bags. She tried to come up with a plan for the emissaries, but a thought in the back of her mind kept distracting her.

“Is it just me or... did Miss Rhipheus seem to not like me for some reason, Spike?”

Spike furrowed his brow and crossed his arms.

“Yeah, actually. That was _pretty_ weird.”

Somehow, their situation was only continuing to aberrate into absurdity. This purple pony didn't even appear to be a member of the nobility, at most a member of the upper class by the looks of her young dragon. Elytra grumbled to herself as she finally lost track of what the Queen was planning, the strange sense of sated hunger within her more foreboding than comforting.

“I don't understand anything anymore. Do you?” She said, pointing her question at Thorax standing beside her.

“I just gather the bugs and leaves, dude. Bugs and leaves.”

Light shone in through the stained glass windows and blanketed the throne room with a cascading rainbow of colors, creating the illusion of peering down the endless tunnels of history. Each window they passed depicted, with overwhelming splendor, a major event in Equestria's past. The highlights included, in order: the rise and fall of the King, the ascension of the royal siblings, Discord's first defeat, the reclamation of the Elements, Discord's second defeat, and, standing at the end of it all, Cadance and Luna at the foot of the throne. Not wanting to waste any more time, Celestia rushed along a half-awed, half-fearful Chrysalis to join the meeting, two pairs of alicorn eyes following them down the entire length of the long hall.

“My apologies, everypony, my apologies! There was... something that had to be taken care of!” Celestia said, forcing a laugh as they reached the throne. “I bet you weren't expecting to see me this soon again, huh, Cadance?”

It was obvious from Cadance's rigid body language that she chained a miserable contempt under her usual chipper demeanor, but, the moment she laid eyes upon Chrysalis, she couldn't resist a scowl.

“I can't say I'm happy about it, auntie.” Cadance said, her curt response punctuating the glare she shot Chrysalis, and she shook her head as Chrysalis glared back. “I see Luna wasn’t lying when she said you were letting her walk freely.”

Celestia stammered for a second. She hadn't considered what their approach would look like, but, at the same time, she wasn't able to make herself consider the alternative. In an attempt to maneuver around the subject, she coughed into her hoof.

“I realize this has been a great inconvenience to you…”

“I was going to be here no matter the circumstance.” Cadance fired back. “Let us get this matter out of the way.”

“O-Of course. Perhaps we should take turns giving our opinions on what to... _do_ about the Queen Chrysalis matter, and continue until we reach consensus. Is this found to be agreeable?” 

Watching the three of them talking over her, Chrysalis could already feel her mind begin to numb. It took all the fortitude she had to not groan and interject, but, in a rare moment of self-restraint, she managed. 

Back with the Princesses, Luna shrugged.

“I have no objections.”

Everypony turned to Cadance now, waiting for her answer. Given little recourse, she looked away.

“Seems fair.”

“Good.” Celestia cleared her throat, buying as much time for herself as possible. Once she was done with this ploy, she began to wander in front of the throne as she spoke. “Well, you already know how I feel. While I concede Chrysalis is guilty of a number of crimes against Equestria and her citizens, she only ever committed those crimes to provide for her Hive, and ceased fire the moment an alternative was presented to her… simply put, she thought she was doing the best for her own, and, were we to exile her for that, then it would only be just for I to be exiled right beside her.”

She didn't stop or hesitate once in her speech, and, from where Chrysalis was standing, Celestia spoke like she had done this all before, rehearsed it dozens of times, as confident and sure as her stride. Approaching the foot of the stairs, Celestia arrived at her conclusion.

“In the end, I think she needs to pay for what she's done, regardless, but... I would only find a specific class of punishment appropriate. Given display of good behavior, completion of community service, and immersion in a supportive environment, I believe she would become a powerful ally.”

And with that, Celestia turned on the spot next to Chrysalis and stared down Cadance not with anger, nor with superiority, but with confidence in her stance.

Normally, these sorts of preachy ‘I see the good in you’ speeches from Celestia only served to make Chrysalis angrier, but, this time, something about it felt... different. More honest. And the way Celestia’s mane caught in the multicolored light made her seem, to Chrysalis, for just a second… absolutely _aggravating_.

On the other end of the stairs, despite seeing Celestia's answer from a mile away, Cadance still scoffed like she had been stabbed in the chest.

“Community service? Really? Celestia, you told me you weren't in league with _her._ ” She said pointedly, causing all of Celestia's confidence to deflate in an instant.

“And I wasn't! Not... when I told you that!” She said, waving her forelegs as if to call for a truce. Her efforts were in vain, however, as Cadance looked to Luna with eyes narrowed.

“We’re sure she isn't being charmed by Chrysalis?”

“Celestia has always had a bizarre, preternatural resistance to charms. You'd think it'd be the opposite, but... I digress. I will volunteer to next speak.” She said, looking up to and through the stained glass window depicting Discord's first downfall, and she began her speech with that image in the back of her mind. “Did this… so-named Chrysalis hurt my sister, infiltrate my kingdom, try to dismantle my niece's wedding? Yes, and I would see her resoundingly punished...”

She paused for dramatic effect, looking first at Cadance, then to Celestia, then Chrysalis. Luna thought for a second and sighed.

“But she also submitted to arrest, _risked_ being put away forever, and did it all for the sake of her kin. The fact of the matter is... we're dealing with a mare and her offspring, _not_ another unfeeling dictator, and that means the ethics will be difficult to judge. So, taking this into consideration…”

Another sigh. Luna closed her eyes.

“I believe we should give her a chance to repay herself, or at least stay the harshest of sentences. Giving a hard-line stance, I do not find she belongs in Tartarus.”

Despite the favorable verdict, Chrysalis was certain suddenly that she must have died in that assassination attempt -- surely, the situation that she found herself in was too perfectly calibrated to be her ultimate torture; forced to sit quietly for extended periods of time as she watched a couple of self-righteous _ponies_ discuss her fate right in front of her? No, it's too perfect. Next thing she knows she'll be forced to dance with Celestia. That would be awful.

At this point, Cadance was none too happy either, and all she could muster was a scowl. Of course. Of course Luna would hold her judgement back for her sister's sake.   
Rubbing at her temples, Cadance walked before the throne and looked at the other Princesses.

“It seems you two have forgotten motivation matters little, because it's _action_ that matters. And excluding what she's done to me and Shining, you must consider the grief her actions have caused your subjects, Celestia.”

The counterpoint momentarily stunned Celestia, but Cadance didn't stop before moving on to her next target.

“In addition, Luna, while she has submitted herself, she only did once her hoof had been forced by… famine, was it? But that doesn't matter. None of our arguing has mattered, because we've neglected something very important...” She swiveled on the spot and pointed at Chrysalis, the two of them locking eyes. “We aren't the only royalty in this room. And I want to know what _she_ has to say.”

The throne room became quiet as the momentum of the conversation hit a dead stop. Feeling the warmth of the merciful spotlight focused upon her, Chrysalis put a hoof against her chest and fluttered her eyes innocently.

“Me?”

Sharpening her glare, Cadance nodded.

“Yeah.”

Chrysalis jumped to life and clapped.

“Oh my, how generous! You don't have to pretend you care what I have to _say!_ I already know you want me to rot. I could tell _just_ by the way you look at me, dear!” She said, pacing back and forth now, using the full width of the hall for dramatic effect, her pace becoming more maddened as she went. “I'm a monster, after all. Aren't I? So why try to dance around it? Why even have this discussion? I don't deserve another chance. So just send me away!”

The three Princesses stood in stunned silence as Chrysalis concluded with a manic smile. Celestia, in particular, could feel herself falling into an endless pit as her legs began to weaken and shake.

“Chrys, what are you-”

Chrysalis twisted on the spot and snapped at Celestia.

“ _DON'T CALL ME THAT!_ I never EARNED that! I plead guilty! Are you LISTENING? GUILTY.” She bellowed, an entire league of emotion dredged up by one little word. Just then, a realization came upon Celestia as Cadance stepped forward, in part out of anger and in part as an attempt to defuse the situation.

“I-I think there's been a misunderstanding, here. This isn't about sentencing, this is about finding a _modicum_ of goodness inside of you, Chrysalis.”

Chrysalis looked at Cadance, her overwhelming rage quenched with a terrible grin.

“Ah, then I vote for sentencing! There's your modicum of good. My throat is thin, right for a guillotine!” She said, running a hoof along her neck.

“Why, you-”

Just then, a flash of blue light silenced the both of them. As they blinked the blindness out of their eyes, each of them turned to the source to see, once again, Luna had volunteered to play the mediator role.

“This has gone on far long enough! Queen Chrysalis, you are clearly just having a mental breakdown now. We will need you to be cooperative.”

“Oh? I don't know what you mean.” Chrysalis said through gritted teeth.

At her breaking point, Cadance scoffed. Stepping down from the foot of the throne, moving past the disturbed Celestia, she stopped to stand right before the frazzled Chrysalis, standing face-to-face.

“Don't worry about it, Luna. I knew you were low, Chrysalis, but I didn't know you were low enough to ask for _pity_ like that.” She looked to her aunt beside her next. “Do whatever you want, Celestia. Just don't waste my time on trash.”

And before Celestia could respond, Cadance disappeared in a shower of pink sparks, and Celestia was forced to bite her tongue instead. The sisters looked to each other, each at a loss for words, but they were interrupted by the clap of Chrysalis’ hooves.

“Well, I'm happy with how that went!” She said, wiping her head of sweat and attempting to catch her breath. “Wouldn't you two agr-”

A wall of feathers smothered Chrysalis, quieting her.

“Chrys, what _was_ that?”

The lavenders hanging from atop the columns of the throne room sprung to life, even more lush and beautiful than before they were picked, as repressed tears came to Chrysalis’ eyes, like a vital force filling the room as she found herself smothered in another one of Celestia's massive, toasty hugs.

“I-I said…” Chrysalis fumbled as she tried to resist the sudden urge to cry. 

“Self-sabotage isn't how you deal with guilt, Chrysalis. Oh, I can only imagine what Cadance is thinking right now…” Celestia pulled back to look into Chrysalis’ eyes and frowned. “Okay, you're worked up still. Let's talk about this in a minute. How about we go check on your changelings? Yeah?”

“S-Sure?”

_This wasn't how this was... why do you keep giving me...?_

The two of them went to leave the throne room, Celestia continuing to hold Chrysalis tight under one of her wings, but stopped as Celestia looked back.

“Luna, are you okay?”

Luna jumped, as if she wasn't expecting to be remembered.

“O-Oh. Yes, I'm fine.”

Celestia nodded.

“Good.”

And they finally departed. Luna, the last one standing at the foot of the throne, searched herself for an answer to what she had just witnessed, but the creaking of the double doors echoed throughout the room as she came back empty.

And with one last line of chalk, Twilight's masterpiece was complete. It only took the most of a stick, but it was beautiful -- the entirety of the proof for Clover the Clever’s First Law of Spatial Equivocation, a formalization of Starswirl's Principle of Displacement. And her presentation must have been riveting, because only 2/3 of her audience had fallen asleep!

“Now as you can see, this proves that, by manipulation of Limbo, one can teleport, transverse the planes, or even maintain a _demiplane_...” Twilight turned away from the chalkboard only to see Celestia and Chrysalis had approached their area of the game room. “Oh! Princess, Miss Rhipheus! You're back already!”

“Y-Yes, and I see you found your own way to… entertain our guests.” Celestia said, wearing an unnatural smile as she gestured to the pair of seated changelings. Out of habit, Chrysalis performed a sweep of the area and frowned as Twilight jumped into action.

“Ah, yes! We-”

“I see two here.” Chrysalis snapped. Her eyes darted over Thorax with Spike on his lap, the two of them asleep, then the attentive Elytra, seated in the next chair over, and stopped as she locked upon Twilight. “Where did the third one go, unicorn? QUICKLY!” 

“Oh, Snowdust said it was too bright in here, so she moved closer to the hall where it was darker... Miss!”

“Of all of the…” Chrysalis turned away and pressed the bridge of her nose. “She's not there, because I would have seen her. Of _course_.”

“Oh- Well- I-”

Noticing Twilight freeze like a statue as Chrysalis began winding herself up again, Celestia flew into damage control mode and gave Chrysalis’ shoulder a bump.

“Hey, none of that! I can tell you care about them a lot, but don't get angry at my pupil! I apologize for her, Twilight, she's just...” Celestia trailed off as she noticed Chrysalis was shaking and her breathing was shallow, and something dawned upon Celestia. “Panicking.”

“ _W-what?_ ” Chrysalis stammered, stumbling away from Celestia. She looked at Elytra and Thorax again, and Elytra took this as a signal to jab Thorax awake. Chrysalis felt the room spinning as Celestia grabbed her.

“Look, she can't have gone far, okay? You believe in her, right?” She said, holding Chrysalis’ shoulder in a show of sympathy. Chrysalis’ mind was blank as Celestia looked at her, and she darted her eyes to the other four creatures like it was the first time she had consciously thought about it.

“Well, I… I need to go back.”

The elderly, ghost-white unicorn pulled away from the window, facing Antenna with a stare that felt cold despite the warm smile he was wearing.

“Come now, you still have time. Spare a lonely old stallion a few words?”

Something triggered Antenna's flight instincts and she stepped away from the cloaked figure.

“What do you want from me? And who are you?”

“The latter is... irrelevant.” He said, narrowing his grayish-green eyes as the shadows in the chamber began to swirl. “It's not so much I want something _from_ you. Much the reverse.” 

Celestia blew back into the game room with a huff, making sure to close the door behind her as quietly as possible. Neither Twilight nor Spike were here, as they were off looking for Antenna in the opposite direction. The only creatures left there were Chrysalis, Elytra, and Thorax, the former holding the two latter in headlocks against her chest, and Celestia made sure to catch her breath before gliding up to the shaken changelings.

“Okay, those guards haven't seen any crystal ponies running around, so she didn't go that way…” Celestia mused, unfolding a map of the castle. Chrysalis, however, continued to stare at the wall opposite to her, as if Celestia didn't exist. Celestia, noticing this, approached her and waved a hoof in front of her face. “Uh… everything okay?”

With a startled jump, Chrysalis snapped out of her trance and increased her grasp ever-so-slightly, holding onto Elytra and Thorax harder than she would normally let herself, as she looked up at Celestia.

“Wh… what...? Have you found her yet?”

Seeing Chrysalis in this state hurt Celestia, and she couldn't help but frown as she shook her head.

“No, I haven't. I understand this is scary, but just try to breathe, okay?” Celestia said, kneeling down to Chrysalis’ level. “So long as they're here, they're safe. The worst thing that might happen is they'll be taken to the cells, but then we'll just get them out again. So try to focus, Chrys. Where would Antenna go?”

“I don't KNOW! How could I POSSIBLY… possibly...” Chrysalis trailed off as Celestia grabbed her shoulder and pushed her chin up with a hoof, initiating eye contact. There was something bittersweet in Celestia's expression, the furrowing of her brow implying desperation, but her vexing smile speaking of a bemused disbelief.

“Don't know? Of course you know! If anyone could, it's you! And even if you can’t, you aren't alone. We'll all find her together.”

Thinking was found to be difficult as Chrysalis’ hearts began to pound due to a certain irresistible glint she found in Celestia's eyes. Voices in Chrysalis’ head wanted to say no, impossible, give up, but, for once, they didn't register to her. Instead, something else did. She stood up, mercifully releasing Elytra and Thorax from her now iron-like grip.

“She’s... a part of me. Maybe if I just… if I focus, then I just might...”

She clenched her eyes shut and struggled to tune herself, the world fading to darkness as the noise of her own thoughts replaced it. After standing like this for a minute, a part of her told her to just start moving, and she tore into a sprint out of the room and down the hall, running headlong into the dark with nary a clue to where she was going.

Forced to think on the fly, Celestia began to bounce on the tips of her hooves as she looked back and forth between the now-open door and the baffled changelings still sitting on the floor.

“Oh! Uh, uh… come with us, everypony!”

And she dashed out after Chrysalis, Elytra and Thorax in tow.

“Okay, weird pony. What could you possibly offer me?”

The black-robed unicorn opened the glass-inlaid door and stepped onto the balcony outside, motioning for Antenna to follow him. She thought against it, but something about his charisma beckoned her to peek over the edge and to the teeming populace below.

“I'm a wise old pony. I know how you changelings work.” He said, the curtness of his statement throwing Antenna off guard. “You see all of them, yes? These hapless civilians. What's stopping you?”

“Stopping me from what...?”

The afternoon daylight cast a shadow such that all she could see were his irises, which had turned a deep red.

“You are but an innocent deer, standing at the edge of a lake. Drink deep, girl. Who would fault you? This is simply what your mother raised you to be.”

A gust of wind blew over the both of them and caused the ajar balcony doors to clatter. A part of Antenna told her to contradict him, but another part of her was at a momentary loss for words. First Chrysalis conscripts her to appease the pony leader, out of the blue and seemingly with no ulterior motive, and now this pony wants her to attack his brethren?

Okay. So this is a test.

“My Queen would be quite disappointed if I did.” Antenna said with her cold tongue, staring at him with her signature unamused eyes. “Even omitting her behavior today, she would frown upon such unplanned moves.”

He cackled.

“How rich. Who is she to dictate your needs as she sees fit? What is just about that?”

With the slam of another door, Chrysalis skid to a halt and curled her body into a growl. 

“UGH!”

Celestia followed close behind, Elytra, Thorax, and a retinue of guards crowding around her.

“You're okay! You've got the entire force of this Castle helping you now!” Celestia said, gesturing to two of the guards. “That way, towards the gallery.”  
In that moment, as the guards began to scatter, Chrysalis’ fuse finally burned out and she exploded.

“This was YOUR IDEA from the very BEGINNING!” Chrysalis said as she stomped towards Celestia and her guards readied their weapons, preparing for the worst. “The TREATY, the PROJECT, this WILD NURSE CHASE! And you were the one with the bright idea to leave her with that PONY in the first place!”

Celestia inched backwards and her face started to burn. 

“H-Hey! Don't yell at ME! I saw you were worried and I was just trying to HELP! All I ever DO is…” Celestia's words caught in her throat, causing her to trail off and look away. “Try to help.”

Despite how much Celestia tried to soften the blow, Chrysalis blinked like she had been sucker-punched in the muzzle. Seeing Celestia hurt had effectively pulled Chrysalis out of her rampage, and she looked Celestia up and down, digging for something she could say. As her eyes hung on Celestia's wings, however, a different idea occurred to her.

Leaping without giving it a second thought, Chrysalis maneuvered herself under one of Celestia's wing and shut her eyes, letting the warmth wash over her body.

“ _Whoa_ , uh! O-Okay!?” Celestia jumped, fumbling for words as the frustrated tinge of pink on her face turned into a flustered red. Outside the castle, a handful of tiny, green leaves began to sprout on the barren, winterly branches of the tree just beside the window. She wasn't sure if it was a trick of desperation or a sign of fate, but Chrysalis swore she could begin to feel faint trails of color cut through the darkness and wind their way through the halls around her.

Next to her were a couple of trails, a large, brilliant golden one enveloping her; Celestia, to be sure. Before Chrysalis, however, was a trail possessing a particular greenish-gold tone that struck her as familiar. The more she focused upon it, the more the trail sharpened until she could clearly see it pick a door and lead deeper down into the castle. She snapped her eyes open again, returning to the light, and pointed in the right direction.

“HERE!”

And like that, the chase was on again. Though still a bit confused, Celestia didn't hesitate to follow when Chrysalis bolted out from under her with a renewed conviction, heading in the opposite direction of the gallery and towards the main hall. Along the way, Twilight and Spike found themselves in the path of the caravan and swept up into the chase.

The trail curved to the left just before the hall entrance, and the group, now a dozen ponies strong, found themselves running up a flight of spiral staircases, coming out to a flat chamber at the top of one of the guard towers. There were arrows and leftover pieces of armor strewn about, the usual sign of guard occupation. Chrysalis and Celestia were the first ones to breach the room, panting, and were taken aback to find both Antenna and Luna standing in the frame of the balcony.

“ _Luna?_ ”

“ANTENNA!” Chrysalis shouted, shoving herself past Celestia to try accosting the small changeling, but found herself reeled back in by one of Celestia's hooves.

“No yelling! Use your words.”

“Oh, um, uh…” Chrysalis said, blinking with surprise. She turned back to Antenna and knelt down to the Nurse's level. “Where… why did you come up here, and why with Princess Luna?”

Chrysalis’ behavior earned a suspicious eyebrow from Antenna, but she shrugged it off within seconds.

“There was this… old, weird unicorn. Green eyes, white coat, black cloak. He spoke to me, but disappeared the moment this… Luna, I guess? Appeared. I dunno.”

“So... you didn't wander off? Some figure… with _green_ eyes... led you astray?” Chrysalis said with a crack in her voice. Something else about Antenna's statement struck Celestia as odd, though, and she jumped up as she realized why.

“Wait. An old unicorn…?” She said, rubbing her chin in thought. “Luna, wasn't that the description Rustic gave us for the stallion that put the Geas on him?”

The question electrified Luna and even caught the attention of Chrysalis, who pulled her attention away from Antenna so she could hear Luna's answer. 

“Well, it's been a few months, but…” Luna said, mimicking Celestia by rubbing her own chin. “We could check the records. We weren't able to identify the suspect, but you may just be right.”

As the three of them began to discuss the idea with each other, Thorax and Elytra poked their heads up over the end of the staircase, finally catching up with their group. Antenna, noticing her comrades arrive, slipped past the distracted members of royalty and approached Elytra and Thorax.

“Did I miss anything while I was gone?” Antenna said, eyeing the two of them.

“Well, unless I'm remembering incorrectly, the Queen mentioned a... _treaty_ to the pony leader?” A troubled Elytra said as she turned to Thorax. “Is that... Is that right, Thorax?”

“I heard something about a project, too. Weird stuff going on around here. You think Chrysalis is being serious after all?”

Each changeling battled with the implication, Elytra pressing at her forehead, Thorax biting at his lower lip, and Antenna remaining coolly detached. Down on the staircase below them, however, still crouched a couple steps down, were Twilight and Spike with the guards that had stuck with them, the conversation they just overheard causing Twilight's jaw to drop and Spike to give a quick scoff.

“Okay, we all heard that. You believe the rumors now, Twilight?” He whispered, placing his small arms on his hips. Twilight began to tremble.

“M-Maybe… maybe there's more to the story? Oh dear.”

Back on the balcony above, Luna and Celestia had begun to leave, but Chrysalis cut off Celestia by stepping in front of her and pressing a hoof into her chest. 

“Y-Yes?” Celestia said, frozen with anticipation as Chrysalis kept her in place not an inch away. Chrysalis tried to look up and make eye contact, but all she could manage to do was point her eyes down and grind one of her back hooves into the floor like a school filly.

“Um… you've been useful today.” She said, pausing to try making a point out of looking Celestia in the face, but soon found the Princess so overwhelming she could only look at her mouth. “You didn't have to do any of this, but… th-thank you.”

Celestia's nervous expression softened and she smiled a big, wide smile, bright and blinding like the sun itself. As Chrysalis’ vision returned to her, Celestia had already maneuvered around and was gesturing for her to follow.

“You can thank me when the problem is solved. Come.”

And for once, Chrysalis didn't mind being told what to do.


	19. Accuse & Acquit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Paranoia is a hell of a thing. It can motivate a person to do a lot of stuff; a lot of stuff they wouldn't normally do. And if they did, I wouldn't blame them.
> 
> Let's say we put a moth in a box where you can't see it, and the box has your social security card and a smartphone in it. How would you know if the butterfly stole your identity? Well, putting it simply, you couldn't. That's a bulletproof fact. This says a lot about our society.

A dark cloud was fast approaching.

As scheduled, there was nothing in the sky that day, yet there still existed a low murmur permeating the grounds of Canterlot, a voice leaping from pony to pony, accented by the harsh sound of hoof on stone. And deep within this structure of brick and mortar and wood, the sum force of its guards ran the castle halls, even errant soldiers joining the ever-widening radius of the search, a wave radiating from a single drop of water.

“And I'd like to know how yet ANOTHER intruder found their way into the castle walls, you miserable excuses for TIN CANS!” Guard captain Iron Boots boomed above the din as she unlocked the guardroom. “I SEE YOU OVER THERE! No slacking, not until we find this creep!”

The moment the door was open, Iron dashed off like her hooves were on fire, leaving the group she was leading in the dust. Kibitz blinked a few times as he faced a startled Celestia, disgusted Chrysalis, and their three changelings in tow, and, in an attempt to retain his momentum, produced a cloth to clean the dirt that had collected on his glasses.

“Hm. That pegasus is something else, isn't she? Anyhow. Here's everything your little stunt has put onto the back burner today, Princess.” Kibitz said, presenting a packed folder to Celestia. “Let's say the appearances and mediations are a given, but some highlights include…” 

He opened to a bookmarked section of the folder.

“Windfall of Cloudsdale was _supposed_ to cover the Winter Wrap-up's finalized plans with you, the Ponyville Mare wished to continue discussions about the Everfree Containment Project, AND…” 

His hoof glided to a point at the bottom, highlighted and underlined and marked with a gold star.

“You missed the first rehearsal for Crescendo's next play.”

Kibitz played up a frown as the flood of information ran over Celestia, and she would have floated away were it not for Chrysalis standing behind her to keep her in place. Taking a deep breath, a plan struck like lightning in Celestia's mind.

“Uh… alright! I trust Windfall. Just tell her the plans are fine, give me a copy, and, if there's any problems, I can just call an emergency meeting. And theeese…” 

She drawled as she flipped through the pages.

“Other things aren't terribly time-sensitive, I'm afraid. Tell your son I'm sorry, and I'll be there at the next one.” Celestia said, giving the folder back to Kibitz, who gave his harrumph and went on his merry way. 

Inhaling another breath, Celestia spun to face Chrysalis with a wire-jawed smile. 

“Phew. Sorry about that! Things get out of control around here if you don't pay attention to them. Let's go.” She said as she gestured to the open door of the guardroom. Out of instinct, Chrysalis replied with a dramatic bow of her head.

“Of course, your _radiance_.”

At first, Celestia stood there looking at the bowing Chrysalis in bewilderment, but, as time passed without a response, Chrysalis opened an eye and tossed Celestia an expectant look, and Celestia jumped.

“Oh!” She righted herself and gave Chrysalis a bemused eye roll. “Thou may stand, your, uh... _queeny-ness_.”

And Chrysalis did, wearing an amused smile, as a self-satisfied Celestia looked away to enter the guard room, was replaced with a panicked frown as she felt her face become warm. 

_Why did I just…?_

Hoof to blistering cheek, she followed Celestia in, head low and eyes darting as if to hide her shame. Elytra and Antenna were quick to mimic her, but Thorax was caught by the sensation of a small claw tapping the back of his leg. Turning and looking down, he was surprised to see the purple dragon from before standing there pointing at him.

“You're a changeling, right?”

“Uh… uh...”

“Crystal Hoof! Leave the nice dragon alone.” Chrysalis said in a beckoning tone, poking her head out of the doorway as Elytra and Antenna passed her. Nearly tripping over himself, Thorax was eager to make a dash for the guardroom. A self-righteous smile appeared on Spike's face as he turned on his heels and walked back to the hall intersection.

“See?”

At the sound of Spike's voice, Twilight appeared from around the corner.

“Huh. That _was_ pretty odd. Have we ruled out the possibility that Rhipheus is just their mother?” She said, putting a hoof to her chin. “Hm, no, that wouldn't make sense… darn.”

There was an odd air back in the the guardroom, a peculiar collection of the sterile and the lived-in strewn about; file cabinets and weapon racks arranged with an exacting precision, contrasted with the untidy forms and disassembled armor tossed aside as if in a rush. And yet, taken all together, none of its extremes seemed to clash with each other, forming a sort of an unwillful gestalt. Celestia pulled herself out of this colloquial tapestry with a file in hoof, flipping through it directly to a specific section with premeditated precision.

“Here it is! Rustic DID describe the suspect as ‘an old unicorn’ after all. Well, I'll be. I can only hope the captain and her guards can catch him, then. But until they do…” She said, clapping the folder down onto a nearby table and facing Chrysalis with a smile full of stars that completely obliterated the Queen's train of thought. “This is the perfect time to perform a bit of…”

Celestia hopped into the air for emphasis.

“Information gathering! How exciting!!!”

Peeling herself off of the wall adjacent to the door she had stationed herself with her changelings, Chrysalis tried to protest with a groan, but found she could only manage a whimper.

“R-Really, now? Are there not more pressing matters at hoof? Perhaps an already congested schedule, perhaps a _certain brood_ you need to retrieve…?”

Chrysalis wasn't sure why she had said that when she was already chasing down a Celestia who was knees-deep into an obsessive pace.

“Perhaps, but this stallion obviously isn't just going to give up. He could prove troublesome for the project, and bringing more of your own here while he's free will only impose more danger upon them.” She said in the second she passed in front of Chrysalis, who tried to find a problem with the Princess’ statement but gave up as she considered keeping track of a minimum 20 more impulsive individuals in this situation. 

Lacking a snarky quip, Chrysalis crossed her forelegs in an attempt to keep cool, suppressing the nag burgeoning in the back of her throat with a cough.

“You make... a fine enough point. Alright then. Take our secrets.”

“Thank you, oh… meansome.” Celestia said, twirling around to bow her head in thanks. Looking down now, she focused her eyesight upon the three other changelings. “So, first things first. You. Antenna, was it? What did this white unicorn say to you?”

Out of everyone else, Antenna seemed least fazed by Celestia's antics, and she stared at her in stone silence like the question had flown over her head. When she realized Antenna wasn't going to answer, Celestia looked to Chrysalis with eyebrow raised, with which Chrysalis replied to by rolling her eyes.

“We answer her.”

“Yes, my Queen. He was a bit strange, to be honest. Making these cryptic statements and commanding me to feast upon the ponies.” Antenna said, causing Celestia to freeze up with shock. “But in the end I didn't, because, well… if they're not part of the Hive, then they don't tell me what to do.”

The cold detachment interlaced into Antenna's speech baffled Celestia, and she had to run her statements through her mind a few times before she was certain of their meaning.

“A-Ah-ha, that's… concerning… but why would he want you to do that? Did he seem to be under the effects of a charm?”

“No.” Antenna said with a deft swipe, nearly cutting off Celestia. Chrysalis scoffed, sliding in between the two of them.

“Of course he wasn't! Isn't it obvious, Celestia? An- this _Nurse_ proclaims he possessed green eyes. You understand, yes? There's a traitor to the Hive in our midst.”

“Can any of your changelings cast and maintain a Geas, then?” Celestia fired back. “Like used on Rustic.”

A cold sweat formed on Chrysalis’ forehead.

“Well, th-there's… a possibility… one of them learned the spell in secret…?” Chrysalis stammered as her mind raced with a myriad of terrible possibilities, each one inspiring more distrust and self-hatred than the last, when she ground to a halt as an idea blossomed in her mind so simple it was genius, and her relief was so great she couldn't help but look at the ceiling and smile as she spoke. “Nor does my Hive alone my race make, dear princess.”

Hearing this, Celestia's eyes popped open and she pointed in the air.

“Oh, good point! I wasn't actually sure if that was the case or not… you learn something everyday, I suppose!” She chuckled as she scratched at her head, unconsciously beginning to pace as the cogs turned inside. Chrysalis wanted to be annoyed by Celestia's ticking, but was dismayed to realize an odd sense of comfort fostering within her chest, and the nagging grew ever worse. 

After a few seconds passed, Celestia halted with an almost audible ding. 

“Yes. I concede it's possible another changeling from another Hive could be the culprit. But still, I want to be thorough, Chrys. Do you have any enemy changelings in specific, or perhaps enemies who are unicorns, or... Underdark denizens?”

Against her better judgement, Chrysalis snorted.

“Really? You have to ask?”

Celestia's heart fluttered as she gave her own little, damnable snort.

“Point taken! How about you give me a list, then?”

It was a tall order for Celestia to request such a thing while she still had Chrysalis’ brain scrambled. Turning her back to Celestia for both dramatic effect and to stall for time, Chrysalis leaned onto the table, looking down at the file on it as her nag from before only grew worse. Off by the door, Thorax and Antenna stood dutiful as ever, but the turn of events before them inspired Elytra to break formation and elbow Thorax in the side.

“ _Ow!_ What?”

“Shh! I get the feeling we're seeing something we're, uh…” Elytra whispered, furrowing her brow. “Not meant to see?” 

“Oh. Well, yeah, the Queen’s acting like… like, she's not even really treating this pony like a political ally, it's almost like she's treating her like a… a...”

“You don't want to finish that sentence.” Antenna interjected as Chrysalis wiped the sweat from her forehead and rolled onto her back, facing Celestia again with half-lidded eyes.

“Well, where should I begin…? Oh, yes. I don't much care for that Throneless King Scythe, but he wouldn't have had the _carapace_ to even consider threatening me. There WAS that unicorn necromancer, but he was… oh, we’ll say _‘neutralized’_ just over two centuries ago. And I _did_ recently have a run-in with a mind flayer, and I didn't give the greatest first impression…” Chrysalis said, brushing the mane off of her face. “Ah, then there's Vidok, Beholder, habitual schemer, and bitter rival of my blood for generations. She hasn't shown her ugly eyeball above ground for a couple decades, however, so I wouldn't exactly put her _at the top of my list, Celestia._ ”

The beckoning voice drew Celestia back to reality, as if Chrysalis herself had used her very words to physically pull Celestia out from her half-written list.

“A Beholder? See, that's important, Chrys! Speaks Undercommon, known to employ Geas… it's an easy suspect!”

It was then Chrysalis’ confliction boiled over, steeping the nag in her throat. She narrowed her eyes at Celestia as if to keep the steam from escaping, but, despite her best efforts, a bit bubbled out as she opened her mouth.

“You just have everything under control, don't you?” She said, voice laced with venom.

“Well, I have to. A lot of ponies rely on me.” Celestia stopped and tilted her head. “Or, no, I can't really say that anymore. Because now changelings rely on me too!”

Then Chrysalis finally cracked, a wave of emotions leaking out of her, as if everything she could muster was trying to exist at once. It was hard to pick out an order amongst the chaos, but she was sure, at first, she felt a sense of relief, which was just as soon followed by sorrow, then indignance, then everything, then she shattered.

“That's far enough.”

Celestia popped her head up in surprise.

“Huh?”

“The way you talk down to me. I no longer care for it.”

“Have I been…” Celestia looked around the room in confusion. “Have I been talking down to you? I haven't noticed if I have. I thought we were-”

“You know, I've finally figured you out, princess. It's not that you're naive, or foolish, or detached…” Chrysalis hopped up off the table and approached Celestia as her temper built, and it wasn't long before she was upon her. “Nay. It's just that everypony else is SO beneath you that you can't take them SERIOUSLY! This... _kindly_ persona you put on is only because you view everypony as your child and you as their shepherd, which makes them your playthings and your opinion final! But guess _what?_ ”

“Wh-What?”

“I was NOT born yesterday. I am in fact 836 YEARS OLD. And I will NOT be treated like that.” Chrysalis said, punctuating each of her sentences by jabbing Celestia in the chest, pressing so close into her their two bodies had become interlocked, Chrysalis at Celestia’s throat, Celestia putting up her forelegs in defense as she backed into a row of filing cabinets.

“I-I don't know where this is coming from, but I think…”

“And there you go again with ‘I THINK’! Can you not admit when somepony else is RIGHT?”

“Okay, _maybe_ you're right…” Celestia felt hot as Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “...but this isn't some kind of power trip! I genuinely care about Equestria! I care about my friends! I care about _you!_ ”

A grimace rolled across Chrysalis’ face.

“And did you ask if I was okay with that?”

“Well... are you?”

The grimace was disrupted as Chrysalis flushed green.

“Th-That's not the point! Th-This is about your sham of a goody-four-shoes act!”

Feeling her body temperature steadily continue to rise, Celestia huffed.

“I… I can criticize you too, you know! You're… too proud to let others be nice to you!”

Chrysalis groaned.

“You can't even CRITICIZE ME RIGHT! Hurt me! Stop pulling punches!! Tear me APART!!!”

And in that moment something snapped, and Celestia shoved her forehead against Chrysalis’. The three changelings that had been up to then standing idle shifted position, preparing themselves for the worst as Celestia almost appeared to light up with flame.

“Ah, I see now, too! You can't stand the _thought_ of somepony having _any_ power over you, can you? Ha!” She flickered, and it was Chrysalis getting pushed backwards now. “THAT'S why you're constantly acting out and sabotaging yourself like this! It's because they’re these little walls you put up, because, if you let yourself care about another creature even A LITTLE BIT, then you won't be able to do what you want, say what you want, TAKE what you want, and that's the _SCARIEST THING OF ALL_ , isn't it?”

Time stood still for a silvery second, like that moment when two opponents realize they're out of ammunition but do not know if their adversary has any left. 

Each word had cut like steel, striking Chrysalis through and leaving her vulnerable to the quiet air between them as she fell away from Celestia. It was her on the defensive now, looking up at Celestia with wounded anger, her changelings prepared to strike at her word. However, she had different plans; shaking, Chrysalis revealed her one, final shot.

“Don't you know how awful it feels to be powerless?” She said, through gritted teeth, tilting her head to the side. “No, I don't think you do. Perhaps I am being a bit nasty, and perhaps it is uncalled for. But this isn't some _fun little adventure_ to save the _Lost Princess_ like you've been treating it. This? This is awful. My Hive has _suffered_. All I'm demanding is you respect that.”

Right then, peering into the pain veiled behind Chrysalis’ eyes felt far worse than any magically-induced burn, broken bone, or concussion Celestia had ever sustained in her life, but the feeling was only marginally worse than the realization that she had caused it. At a loss, Celestia scratched around the back of her head, like she was digging for anything she could possibly say, but, no matter what she could muster, the same two words kept coming to her mind. Logically, it was the correct answer. Because Chrysalis was.

“You're right. I have a habit of… getting so wrapped up in playing leader, it can be hard for me to see when I'm being a bit too controlling. Or maybe… when I'm deriving joy from it.” Celestia pointed her head down in remorse. “But I do know what powerlessness feels like. Maybe that's just… how I deal with it. But that's no excuse, however. I haven't been treating your situation with the gravity it deserves, and I really am sorry.”

There was a long break of silence.

Despite the offer of peace, Thorax, Antenna, and Elytra were still primed to attack at Chrysalis’ behest, said Queen still reeling and at a loss for words. The nag was back, but this time it was different, more powerful, more robust, and Chrysalis couldn't bring herself to resist as she looked at the floor.

“Deep down, ‘we’re the same’.” She mumbled under her breath, causing Celestia to look up.

“What?”

“That's what you told me. During the month of the summer solstice. We're... the same. But I don't think you realize how true that was.” Chrysalis paused and picked her head up, eyes still focused down. “I want... so much. You must have wants and desires too. I know that for a fact.”

She emphasized her statement by looking Celestia in the eyes. Celestia's mind began to spin, alarmed at the possibilities of what Chrysalis could have been alluding to. Playing damage control, her mind jumped to the safe answer.

“I want… the ponies of Equestria to be happy. I want you to be happy.” She said, causing a wry smile to explode out of Chrysalis as she shook her head.

“Oh no, no, no. You're adorable, sweetheart. I mean things for _yourself_.”

“I…”

“Princess!” 

Spinning around, Celestia saw Kibitz and Eclair standing in the threshold of the door. The two of them appeared concerned, Kibitz hooking one of Eclair's forelegs into one of his own, inspiring fear in Celestia herself.

“Yes? What is it?”

“There's… a _situation_ in the main hall that I believe you should attend to.” Kibitz said, fidgeting with his glasses. 

“Indeed! It's… in need of a bit of diffusal!” Eclair chimed in.

Celestia opened her mouth to respond the two stallions, but, instead, cut herself off and turned to Chrysalis.

“Not to sound too control-ly, but… word’s going to spread around here soon. Is there any use in hiding anymore?”

There were no more stores of energy left for Chrysalis to protest. Steeling herself, she bit her lip.

“No. Do what you will.”

Given the signal, Celestia nodded and rushed off with the two unicorns. 

It was only two or three turns in between the guard room and the main hall. There were several sconces lit up down the length of the chamber, and, save for a crowd forming at the far end, it appeared that it had been cleared out of ponies beforehand, making a subtle entrance impossible at this point; the moment Celestia entered the scene and began to produce the sound of hoof on tile, the crowd faced her all at once.

It was clear from a glance the group mostly consisted of members of the castle staff; maids, cooks, a guard or two. Celestia craned her head far above them all in an attempt to figure out the situation, but was confused when she was unable to see the source of the problem. She looked at them again, the stiffness in her movement causing them to recoil.

“What's going on, here?”

The staff looked amongst themselves, unsure of who should be the one to speak up. Eventually somepony walked out from the crowd -- an Earth stallion who appeared to be a member of the janitorial duty -- and removed his blue hat and placed it against his chest.

“Princess! Pardon me, but things have been chaos all day, and none of us know why, and… and...” He paused, bracing himself for reprisal. “Ponies are talkin’ _blasphemous_ things, talkin’ about why chase that just happened, and we're fixin’ for some answers!”

The crowd began to rumble as Celestia winced. It was as she feared.

She rubbed the bridge of her muzzle and took a deep breath, then looked up from the janitor and addressed the crowd behind him.

“Okay. Of course. I'm just going to cut to the chase, then. You all probably have an inkling of what's going on, anyhow. So I wanted to say…” Celestia gulped as she gazed at the floor, stared over the edge of the abyss, and thought of the events of the past 24 hours. She addressed the audience again and lept. “It's true. Since her failed invasion upon this castle last Hearth's Warming, Queen Chrysalis has found herself upon a crisis. And I take the duty upon myself, as a final task she asked of me, after submitting herself to our custody, to provide her Hive relief.”

“ _What?_ ”

A voice rang out from the back of the audience, and Celestia's heart sank as she recognized its owner. Sure enough, as the crowd parted to face the interrupting pony, Celestia was dismayed to find a certain purple unicorn and dragon standing at the origin of the crowd’s divide.

“Twilight! Spike! You're... still here!”

Twilight rushed to the front, pushing past the staff with spellbook in tow, flipping through page after page.

“No matter what I check, you're not under the effects of an enchantment, nor an illusion, not even a CURSE. I'm trying to understand, Princess, but…” Twilight shook her head searching for an answer, but her neck went rigid as Spike clambered onto her head.

“You're HELPING them? You were there! You experienced first-HOOF what Chrysalis and her changelings did!”

Ambushes were nothing new for the Princess, but, when it was Twilight and Spike pointing the questions, Celestia couldn't help but freeze up a little, something that only worsened as she looked over the distrustful faces amongst her staff. Re-centering her body, Celestia prepared herself for her counter-approach.

_Anger… this is a natural response._

She steadied her breath.

“You're right, Spike, and I'm sure you're not alone in your feelings. But it is just not that simple when it comes to international politics. Many forces are at play here, and this is not the time for petty griev-”

“Oh, I've got it!” Twilight blurted out, silencing Celestia, drawing the attention of everypony in the hall, and causing a tiny part of her to start panicking. “H-Ha ha, n-no, sorry! I just had the thought... it's like... Nightmare Moon again! Right? Through the power of forgiveness, me and my friends were able to save you AND Princess Luna. And maybe we were overlooking that she kidnapped you, but who knows what could have happened if we didn't!”

At first Celestia was taken aback by her student’s outburst, but her eyes soon lit up as she realized what Twilight was trying to to say. She smiled with a proud relief.

“Yes, that is… an effective metaphor! Good, Twilight. Though maybe I don't want to draw those parallels in _specific…_ ” Celestia said as she trailed off, laughing nervously. “The situation still stands. Chrysalis' subjects are in peril, and that's the only reason she ever terrorized us, meaning our assistance would directly result in a ceasefire. I wouldn't exactly say I plan to overlook what she or her subjects have done, but through forgiveness…”

She had gold in her eyes in that moment.

“I save both kingdoms.”

“Ah, so there WAS something we were missing…” Twilight said, finally letting go of her breath after holding it for what felt like all day.

“But what if this is another trick? Where do we draw the line?”

“Spike!”

There wasn't an immediate sign in Celestia's body language, but she could feel something inside of her fall back to earth.

“No, he has a point. I must… meditate upon that, young dragon. There are times when faith is all you have to go off of.” She said, unfurling her massive wings and addressing the crowd again. “So take this to heart, everypony. While the situation remains uncertain, remain mindful and keep this secret for me. You may return to your duties.”

And she turned and left.

It was a short way from the guardroom, but somehow the path felt far longer going back. A gust of wind crawling across the ground rose up and extinguished the candles adorning the walls, plunging Celestia into darkness. 

She walked for some time, walked for what must have been hours, soaking herself in the inky black void surrounding her. Celestia could swear she saw things out there, visions dancing in the nostalgic dark cloud, things she had locked far away in the back of her head. 

In the distance she finally noticed a light, and only when she squinted could she realize it was emanating from a crack in the guardroom door. As she approached, the source grew larger and larger until finally she was standing next to it, but, before she could peak through the gap, a vision grasped her by the neck.

In a moment of weakness, succumbing to her deepest, darkest paranoias, Celestia repeated an incantation to herself; an old one, one she spent months and months memorizing a very long time ago. As it completed, before her materialized a small orb of light only she could see, and through the orb she could see herself.

Guiding this arcane eye through the crack in the guardroom door, she could then see the changelings inside; Elytra and Thorax talking about something she couldn't hear, Antenna standing with her face in the far corner, and Chrysalis resting her back on the wall directly connected to the door, holding a picture in her hooves. Curiosity getting the better of her, Celestia began to inch closer to make out the photo’s subject, closer and closer still, until she finally saw it, causing her to fly away from the door and, in her shock, allowing her concentration to lapse and the eye to wink out of existence.

Plunged back into the darkness of the hall, Celestia was struck with a pang of guilt, tendriling through her chest as she thought of the picture she just saw. The pose, the location -- she didn't recognize any of it. Celestia didn't take that photo. Where did she get that PHOTO? The only explanation is...

Unable to hold herself back any further, Celestia burst through the door, nearly breaking it off of its hinges.

“Celestia...?” Chrysalis sat up, speaking with an apprehensive lilt. Celestia looked at Chrysalis, noticing her quickly hide the photo behind her back, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“Let’s go get the hatchlings. Damn the consequences.”


	20. Fire & Ice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20\. The number of God. Do you believe in Gods, dear reader? I'd get familiar with one right about now. And no, you can't pick me.
> 
> I, for one, believe in something. I believe I must give you a trigger warning for this one. If you have trouble with discussions of death and abuse -- parental, in specific -- then please, please, proceed with caution. This God will be with you for this journey.

The Hive was silent then. 

At its entrance, crossing its threshold for the first time in half a day, was Chrysalis, inundated by a paralyzing guilt that seemed to wash over her with the darkness of the interior. What struck her was how quiet it was then; not the shifting of the walls, nor the step of the hooves, nor even the flow of the air made noise anymore, and one would think the structure were abandoned were it not for the squalid changelings scattered across its greenlit halls. 

The thing that finally brought her back to reality was the hoofstep of Elytra approaching from behind, Thorax and Antenna trailing close, like 3 bolts of lightning running up her corrugated spine. Chrysalis was forced to take pause and shake her head before turning to addressing the changeling at the lead.

“Elytra. Go on ahead with the others and gather the Nurses. I trust you can handle this.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

With a dutiful salute, Elytra disappeared into the shade of the Hive with her broodmates. Chrysalis sighed as she resigned herself to the passing of yet another point of no return and twisted on her heels to face the last of her company.

A few feet away, there stood a royal changeling who, despite their tall stature, was at least a foot shorter than Chrysalis, their head coming up to the length of her neck. They possessed deep purple eyes, a slicked-back pair of violet, shotel-shaped horns, and a series of razor-sharp spikes decorating the backs of their forelegs. Taken as a whole, the changeling possessed a seedy, oily eminence that seemed to seep into the very Earth around them, dragging a trail across the ground as they went.

“This is... interesting.” They muttered as Chrysalis began to walk circles around them, the Queen standing a little too close as she looked them over to ensure everything was in order.

“I would have let you be a Queen, Celestia, but I taught them to attack Queens on _sight_ , so...”

“Oh, gee. Thanks for looking out. Would you mind at least telling me who I _a-am?_ ” Celestia cringed as Chrysalis reached for the bright, scaled wings on the Princess’ back and began to straighten them out.

“King Scythe. My one and only suitor.” Chrysalis said in a matter-of-fact tone and Celestia nodded absent-mindedly.

“Ah, suitor, yeah, of course.”

Her nodding slowed until she was standing still like a statue, and that's when it hit her.

“ _S-SUITOR? Ah, ah, I-I mean…!_ ” Celestia closed her eyes, steadied herself, and half-reopened her eyes, forcing a chill tone into her voice. “Oh. Suitor, huh? Cool, cool. What's your, uh... opinion on the guy?”

The question failed to faze Chrysalis as she positioned herself in front of Celestia again, continuing her preening of the Princess by polishing her chitinous chestplate. But, as she went, Chrysalis seemed to only get angrier and angrier until she was forced to stop and chuckle bitterly.

“Opinion...? Heh... I've _got_ your opinion. Scythe is a spineless, arrogant, SELFISH simpleton who sees me as nothing more than a tool to further his own goals, and frankly I'm SURPRISED he can even stand the sound of his own VOICE.” Chrysalis paused as she looked into Celestia's eyes, and the frown on the Queen's face morphed into a mischievous smirk as she drew a hoof along Celestia's neck and up to her chin. “So you could see how much the two of you have in common.”

Purple flushed across Celestia's face and her cool facade shattered into pieces, revealing the true mess of a sap underneath.

“O-Oh, ha, yeah, I can see the resemblance...” She said, trying and failing to maintain eye contact as she started beaming.

_So you're saying there's a chance..._

“I'm done.”

Celestia almost fell over as Chrysalis snapped away from her and made for the Hive.

“Don't get a big head, _champion._ ”

“H-Hey! Where are you going?”

Someday Celestia will recognize when she's being toyed with.

The moment Chrysalis made her entrance, it was like the Hive lived again; everywhere, changelings pulled themselves to their hooves and began to slowly swarm around their Queen, eventually forming a crowd large enough to impede her progress, but, as Celestia appeared from behind her, they all fell still at once and parted to form a path before the royal pair. 

Something about the display of reverence intimidated Celestia, but Chrysalis seemed to bask in the attention like it was where she belonged. In spite of their differing reactions, however, they were in sync on one thing, and that one thing was the strange sense of exhilaration mounting inside the both of them.

To Celestia's relief and dismay, Stinger broke from the far end of the line and addressed Chrysalis with a salute.

“My repulsiveness, you return! Uh… I see you are holding audience with King Scythe... once again!” He said, trying and failing to mask his confusion.

With a pleased sigh, Chrysalis began to march down the line of changelings, surveying the lot of them with a sweep of her vision. Eventually, she reached the end, and looked down at the diminutive Soldier with eyebrow raised.

“Yes. Miserable times call for miserable measures, if you understand my meaning...” Chrysalis craned back to the still dumbfounded Celestia, who jumped as she felt the serpentine pair of eyes run over her. At a loss, Celestia mirrored Chrysalis as she followed behind and surveyed the changelings as well. To her dismay, each one seemed to respond to her attention with varying forms of repulsion; growls, stony glares, aversion to eye contact, and so on, not a one seeming to be pleased to see her.

_Sheesh. Tough crowd._

Ahead of Celestia, Chrysalis took another step deeper into the Hive, but what felt like a chain wrapped around her and held tight, stopping her progress as a nagging doubt resurfaced in her mind. Unable to shake free of her bindings, she turned on her heels and faced Stinger again.

“Stinger, I... actually have a question for you. Do you happen to remember that discussion I had with you towards the end of June about our plan to solve the, uh... Celestia issue?”

Out of instinct, Stinger saluted and darted his eyes around in a search deep into his memory.

“Hm… the Celestia issue... that was the day before the summer solstice, yes? When you summoned me to her castle? That's the only discussion I remember matching that description.“ 

One of Chrysalis’ eyes twitched.

“That is enough.”

Stinger bowed, kneeling with one leg.

“I understand if my services will no longer be needed, but I promise to continue giving my whole self to the Hive where…” Stinger opened one of his eyes and pointed a dagger at Celestia. “ _He_ falters. Good luck with the Core, my Queen.”

“Yes.” Chrysalis muttered, hardly registering Stinger's pledging as she left to catch up with Celestia, who was already across the waxy platform and standing at the threshold of a hole in the far wall. Celestia crossed her forelegs, flinching as she poked herself with the spines lining their backs.

“I feel like- ow! Like there was… ouch! A LOT going on there I didn't understand.” She said as Chrysalis caught up to her, taking the lead again without slowing a single step.

“They'll be expecting us to head for the Hive's Core, but it is no matter. We may continue to the Hatchery when we escape their notice.”

“Huh. Okay.”

Beyond the hole in the wall, they quickly ran into a darkened passage between the lights of the green, jelly-like lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and Celestia was sharply reintroduced to the sensation of nocturnal vision. Everything around her was sculpted with shades of grey, ranging from the muted waxen structures surrounding the two of them, to Chrysalis’ now bright white mane, and even Celestia's own illusory form. It wasn't painful or anything of the sort, simply something requiring acclimation.

Eventually, the royal pair came across light again, culminating in a fork in the path. Out of instinct, Celestia turned right to go down the way she did before, but Chrysalis chose left, meaning it was only a matter of time until the two bumped shoulders, and, when they did, they went rigid as the Earth shook around them. 

There was an awkward second of confusion while they recovered from their jarring collision, the two making surprised eye contact with each other and quickly looking away.

“Oh… um... uh…” Chrysalis said as she attempted to cover her flushed face.

“Ahem. Pardon me!” Celestia said, righting herself and coughing once into her hoof to mask her jitters. As the moment passed, however, something odd occurred to her, and she pointed down the right path, forcing herself to look at Chrysalis. “Wait, uh… isn't the Hatchery that way? Why were you going the other way?”

“Th-The path has shifted since then. It's this way.” Chrysalis said, uncovering her face but still refusing to remake eye contact.

“Huh. You lead, then.”

And she couldn't say much to protest. There was little hope of Celestia navigating the twisting corridors of the Hive, but, for Chrysalis, the chaos felt like home. At the next juncture, there were three corridors, two flights of stairs, and at least a dozen holes in the wall -- which way do you go? 

It's simple, really; the deception fools one’s sense of sight, but not one's sense of smell. And you never forget the smell of home.

Which made it all the more concerning when Chrysalis swore the Hive was leading her astray. At first, nothing seemed odd; yes, the path had jackknifed away from a more direct line towards the Hatchery, but the direct path was simply one amongst a myriad of others. Probability only dictates that, 99% of the time, you'll start off in the wrong direction and slowly trend towards the right one.

But that probability gets lower and lower the longer one pursues their target. And after going 15 minutes without the scent of the Hatchery getting any stronger, Chrysalis was in the right when she was troubled. If she didn't know better, she would have sworn she was only getting closer to the Core. But that's impossible, right?

Coming to another juncture, Chrysalis skid to a halt and leered between the web of paths, feeling another headache come on like an ice pick as, for the first time in her life, she felt unsure which way was the correct one. Celestia, exhaustion beginning to set in, lagged a bit further back, using the uneasy walls to support herself.

“Finally, you slow down! What's the… oof... holdup? You know where you're going, r- _AUGH!_ ” She stopped short as she snapped backwards in horrid pain, almost breaking her back twisting into a ball. Chrysalis spun around, scars of fear lashed across her face.

“Celestia? What's wrong?”

“V-Voices! You don't hear that?” Celestia said, hooves clapped over both ears. Fearing the worst, Chrysalis didn't waste a second to rush to Celestia's side, grabbing ahold of her by the shoulders and keeping her in place.

“Voices? What voices? What are they saying?”

“It's this… female voice that... she keeps saying things like 'Listen’ and 'Beg’ and ‘Usurper’ and... actually, that one's a favorite of her’s... w-when did it get so loud?!”

So it was the worst after all.

The Hive seemed to stop moving as Chrysalis’ blood froze solid like ice. She stood up, head pounding, and beckoned Celestia with a motion of her hoof.

“Unshift. Remove the Stone. Give it to me.”

“B-But I'm-”

“Don't care. Remove it.”

Celestia tried to protest, but in that moment the shouting in her ear became unbearable. With a flash of sickening light, she was herself again as she produced the Shaping Stone and fell into a pile on the floor.

“There. Happy?” She said, gasping with a voice that was now notably deeper, deep enough to belong to a stallion. Chrysalis, still panicked, snatched the Stone and stumbled back.

“Why is your voice doing that again?”

Celestia blinked at Chrysalis with a tilt of her head.

“What do you- oh!” Celestia flushed and looked down at her neck. “Uh… uh, goodness! My necklace is supposed to make my... i-is there an anti-magic field around here?”

The Hive began to move again as Chrysalis’ eyes widened, and a new hole in the wall formed directly behind her, then another hole in the wall behind that, then another behind that, and behind that, and so on, a sequence of holes running into the distance, and she muttered something to herself.

“The _throne._ ”

Finally struggling back to one of her hooves, a chill ran over Celestia as she noticed Chrysalis stumbling backwards and shaking her head.

“Chrys? What's wrong?” 

“She can't… she can't…”

And like that, Chrysalis spun on her heels and made a mad dash through the path in the walls. Discovering a new store of energy within her, Celestia hopped up and shot after her.

“CHRYS!”

Of course. Of course it worked now.

It wasn't long before Chrysalis had reached her destination at the darkened Core, the tall chamber pitch-black save for the object in the center; a tower made of obsidian, rising from the floor and through the ceiling into the throne room above, possessing at its base a large, sharp shape decorated with a cluster of glowing green orbs. Chrysalis’ anger blossomed into indignant fury as she stepped into the Core chamber and felt the snapping of obsidian veins underhoof, the brush of long-undisturbed moss against her legs, and she couldn't help but wax poetic as she stormed up to the tower's base and the shape came into her vision.

“I see now that I was FOOLISH to think that DEATH would stop you! Here I stand, corrected!” She bellowed, voice echoing out of the chamber. Reaching the Core, she paused shortly to stare on with contempt before driving her entire body into a series of drilling stomps upon the shape. “STAY in your grave! STAY away from Celestia! And stay! Out of! MY! _LIFE!_ ”

It was in that moment that Celestia caught up to Chrysalis, leaning on the entrance to the Core room to catch her breath.

“Chrysalis! Phew. Why did you-” Celestia’s words were choked out by a gasp, covering her mouth out of an instinctual sense of fear. “In the name of everything holy, Chrysalis what _IS THIS?_ ”

At the sound of Celestia's terrified voice, Chrysalis turned around, her mane obscuring the crazed expression on her face.

“Oh, you don't recognize her from that book of yours? I suppose she's put on a bit of weight since then!” Chrysalis laughed a laugh that dropped Celestia's body temperature.

“Is that a QUEEN?”

“Close! She WAS a Queen! But it appears she doesn't know when to say DIE!”

“What are you _talking_ about? Chrysalis, stop that!”

Adrenaline finally beating out terror, Celestia forced her way through her paralysis and deeper into the Core. 

Then things sort of just happened in sequence. One moment everything was a blur, then the next Celestia was dragging Chrysalis back to the mouth of the hall, then it ended when they were collapsing on top of each other. It was then Celestia realized, with the both of them on their knees, that Chrysalis was trembling and sweating more than she'd ever seen her before. Looking her long in the eye, Celestia was troubled to see something familiar, and she felt that same sorrow in her chest again.

“Chrys, are you…?”

“Did she speak to you of me? Of how poor a worker I was? Can you tell her the feeling's mutual?” Chrysalis said as she wrestled with Celestia half-heartedly, her stuttering only causing Celestia to grasp harder.

“Wait, Chrys, was… was that your _mother?_ ”

The question caused Chrysalis to stop struggling and fall limp, like it had rattled her back awake from a strong nightmare. She thought long and hard before replying to Celestia, furrowing her brow and forcing a smirk.

“Did she make me? Yes. Was she my mother? Changelings don't... have mothers.” Chrysalis tried standing up in earnest, this time, and Celestia finally got off, letting her. Wiping the dust off her shoulders, Chrysalis got to her hooves and faced away from the Core entrance. “I... least of all.”

“Why? What makes you say that?” Celestia said, jumping to her hooves after her. The only answer she received was Chrysalis looking over her shoulder to fire a silent, painful glare, penetrating into Celestia's soul. As much as Chrysalis wanted to play the tough girl routine, Celestia fell grim as she noticed the telltale signs of hurt in her face and stepped closer. “What did she do, Chrysalis?”

The probing psyched Chrysalis out, and she snapped her glare in half to hide her face from Celestia.

“She's right. I was a terrible daughter. I am.”

“Th-That doesn't explain anything! Why did she think you're a terrible daughter? _Why_ do you deserve being called that?” Celestia said, now standing right beside her. When that didn't earn a response, Celestia leaned in front of her in an attempt to remake eye contact, but Chrysalis stood her ground and turned her nose up. In a corner, Celestia frowned and touched Chrysalis lightly on the shoulder. “Please. You can trust me.”

Chrysalis never liked being touched. Not by anyone who wasn't her direct descendant. So why was she any different? Even then, Chrysalis was confounded as her face began to hurt and she began to speak.

“I ran my Hive into the ground. A pony is my only hope left to save it. And it's my own incompetence that led me here. That's what I did to deserve what I got, Celestia. I was never fit to lead.”

“But the system was flawed from the start. Should it not be a testament to your character that, by your actions, it finally fell apart?” Celestia pressed onto Chrysalis’ shoulder more. “I don't know what she did to you, but I can tell it was bad. She was bad, Chrys. And you're the one that survived. Not her.”

Finally, Chrysalis opened her eyes and she looked at Celestia again, wearing a sort of surprised, innocent look on her face that was quickly squelched with a smirk.

“You just have everything under control, don't you?”

Celestia smirked back.

“Not everything. We’re here because of one of your ideas, remember?”

“Oh dear. And here I was hoping I’d excised the contrarian from you.”

And they laughed.

The travel towards the Hatchery was much less eventful this time. Whatever possessed the Hive had disappeared a long time ago, and Chrysalis navigated it's plasticine halls as if she'd done it a million times before. But all was still not well, however, and something still nagged at Celestia's mind as they made their way, something she couldn't shake. Upon the two of them reaching the Hatchery's alcove, she sensed the moment begin to escape her forever, and she blurted out the first thing on her mind in a panic.

“M-My father wasn't that great either!”

Like a statue on ice, Chrysalis skid to a halt and spun on her heels.

“Really?” She said, cocking an eyebrow.

Celestia gulped as she felt the lasers focus upon her. Can't really take it back now.

“Y-Yeah. I'm not sure if this helps or anything, but... he was controlling, and manipulative, and he literally tried to destroy EVERYTHING in this plane of existence at one point…” She paused, the rest of her reply catching in her throat, but found her momentum again as she saw Chrysalis’ intrigued face. “And you may be interested to know that it was he that cursed his entire family.”

Chrysalis’ eyes lit up and she gave a dramatic gasp, running next to and almost pouncing Celestia.

“Oh, by everything vile! Are you about to explain the _blood curse_ to me?”

The exaggerated reaction convinced an amused smile to form on Celestia's face.

“Yes, yes, I may be about to explain the blood curse to you! Because when MY mother died, my father… worsened.” As she said that, Celestia's smile disappeared again and she walked past Chrysalis to pace in front of the Hatchery entrance. Mustering magical power, shapeless patterns began to form on the Hive wall above them. “It's a long story, but, well... here's the short version.” 

The patterns congealed into the image of two unicorns standing in the center of a six-pointed, rainbow-colored ring, a red diamond shape in between them. The diamond collided with the left figure, and the ring began to spin as Celestia cleared her throat.

“My father spared nothing to preserve his own life. Using my brother as a conduit, he was able to extra the hidden potential of the Alicorn Amulet, which he used to grant himself and his family powers far beyond any pony's imagination...”

Three more ponies appeared in the center of the ring -- a pegasus, an earth pony, and another unicorn. The five of them transmogrified into alicorns, some sprouting wings, others horns, still others both, and diamonds manifested above each of their heads as they began to glow. Chrysalis squinted on in awe as Celestia marched on with her story.

“PERFECT immortality, _incredible_ strength, the ability to control even the STARS themselves… we had been given everything! But, in the process, my father took from us something far greater…”

The five alicorns, slowly, one after another, twisted into troubling forms, beings of chaos and forces of unrepentant destruction, one of them elongating and changing so much as to become another creature entirely unrecognizable. Celestia sighed.

“Our _nature._ ”

And, as Celestia said that, the images winked out of existence all at once. Craning her head around, Chrysalis looked to Celestia and blinked in bewilderment.

“Your _what?_ ”

“That's part of the long story!” Celestia said, pushing her shoulders up in a shrug and laughing nervously.

“Are you KIDDING me? You've essentially said nothing!”

“It's more than you told me!”

Celestia's rebuttal shot through Chrysalis like a bullet, shattering her train of thought. As much as she was prepared to explode with frustration and shout for a better answer, a different, warmer feeling began to run through her body, filling her up and taking her over, and, before she knew it, Chrysalis had begun to laugh. 

At first a low chuckle, then a giggle, then ascending into a full-on outburst. At first, Celestia was completely baffled, at a loss for words, but as Chrysalis laughed more and more, Celestia felt compelled to laugh herself, and soon they were both laughing, laughing loud enough for the entire Hive to hear them, laughing so much they couldn't breathe, laughing until nothing hurt anymore. Then, without warning, Chrysalis burst into tears. 

“C-Chrys!?”

It all happened so fast, so fast that, by the time Celestia could jump in surprise, Chrysalis had already buried herself in the Princess’ broad chest and begun bellowing into it, the wild swing in emotion shaking the both of them to their very cores. Celestia, overwhelmed and at a loss for words, found the urge to hold Chrysalis impossible to resist as she wrapped her forelegs tightly over her back.

No matter how hard Chrysalis tried to get it to stop, no matter how hard she tried to push the tears back in with her hooves, more and more came out, only seeming to get worse as she tried to fight them back. But, as much shame as she was experiencing then, Chrysalis didn't want to move from her spot there, being held by Celestia, not by a long shot. If she was being honest with herself, she felt like she never wanted to stop touching Celestia's body ever again.

It wasn't until after a good few minutes of heaving like this before Chrysalis could even begin to get out a coherent sentence. With a cough and a hack, she pulled her face away just enough to get the words out of her mouth without breaking contact.

“All she did was take, and take, until she DIED. Sh-She didn't even care to NAME any of us. Th-The Nurses did, because that made it easier to keep track of us, but n-none of that mattered, because we were only there to collect resources for _her._ ” She paused to catch her breath and shook her head. “She was so, so awful. Why am I CRYING?”

Celestia hugged tighter.

“No, no, no, this is good. Crying is... good. You're… just processing what she did to you.” She said, looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching them, looking past the wall she had used as a projector moments before. “And let's not neglect the fact that your parents are very important figures in your life. Even if they were… monstrous, you're still going to miss them. You can still miss a bad presence.”

Finally, Chrysalis’ body fell still. After a few seconds, she coaxed her face out of Celestia's chest and wiped the tears out of her eyes.

“We're going to be honest with each other from here on out. No more hiding things. Just the truth.”

Celestia tilted her head.

“Huh. I like that idea. How about we ask each other whatever is on our mind, and we'll have to answer truthfully, then?”

“S-Sure. I guess I just asked you few a questions, so… do you have anything to ask me?”

The question struck Celestia like something she had been both avoiding and wanting to think about for a very long time. Digging back into her memories of everything that had happened over the past 24 hours, then the past 7 months, then the 30 years past when they had first met, Celestia already had a list of things she wanted to know. Maybe a whole book. At the forefront of her mind was the photo she saw Chrysalis holding, but… no, there were more important matters to discuss.

As she looked Chrysalis in her bloodshot eyes, Celestia sighed to herself and her expression fell grim. She knew she had to do this before anything else, but that didn't make it any better. It gets worse before it gets better, right? Celestia tried not to flinch when she fired.

“Did you intend to leave Twilight and Shining Armor in the caves beneath Canterlot?”

Chrysalis glowered in confusion.

“W-What kind of question is that? Of course not. That would have been throwing away free resources for the, uh…” She paused as she noticed Celestia's disappointed frown. “I get the feeling that was the wrong answer.”

Nothing changed on Celestia's face.

“Did you intend to trick me using the Stone’s curse?”

This time, the question stung as it etched a pattern into Chrysalis’ mind.

“Uh… the curse was secondary, but I considered the possibility of you succumbing, and it was... more of a supporting role... to the note.” She trailed off, her words freezing her throat and causing a panic to overcome a her. “ _...But!_ But now that I know SHE can talk to you through it, I… I don't think I ever want you using the Stone again. I should never have even tried using it like that!”

“So you were serious when you wanted me to find you?”

“Y-Yes! Of course! I... hadn't even decided yet if I was going to leave the note or not. But I guess I must have lost it when your sister interrupted us, and...” Chrysalis pulled away from Celestia, but not far enough to break her hold. “I left it to fate. I'd assumed you had found it, and, after enough time had passed, that you hadn't cared to find _me_ , and…”

She trailed off again as more tears formed in her eyes and she was forced to look away. Celestia clenched her jaw.

“You can ask me a question now.”

“Why are you in love with me?”

In the blink of an eye, the Hive contracted and shuttered all around them, each of its holes closing off until the royal pair found themselves contained in a pocket dark and absolute like outer space, alone together. As much as she tried to keep her detached demeanor, Celestia's face was suddenly burning hot like fire, and her body began emitting a faint glow, just bright enough to illuminate the both of them, and she found she was unable to keep her slack jaw closed. 

Seems everyone was playing hardball today.

Once her mind had stopped reeling, Celestia was certain she was paralyzed, certain she'd never be able to say this directly to Chrysalis’ face; not now, not never. But then she actually _looked_ at her, looked at how beautiful she was in the soft yellow light, and the words came out of Celestia as easily as saying her own name, and as easily as raising the sun.

“It's because… you're everything. Fun. Protective. Stronger than the walls of Tartarus. You're just... unbelievably passionate. And that's all ignoring how you're COMPLETELY my type. Having a lot of baggage, having a lot to answer for… none of that makes you any less lovable, to me. You're _trying_ , and that's what matters.” She paused to examine the trembling Chrysalis’ face long and hard. The changeling seemed shaken still, but came across more overwhelmed than fearful or disgusted, and Celestia let go of a breath she didn't know she had been holding since they had first met. “Phew. Okay. I said it! Okay. Now, I have one more question of my own for you...” 

At that, Chrysalis seized up.

“A-Another…?”

“How did you know?”

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes in confusion.

“How did I...? Oh!” She said, jumping as the tense energy in her body redirected itself into crossing her forelegs and giving a scoff. “I've told you before, Celestia. I have been given an extra sense to detect other's emotions, and I would quite literally _die_ without it. How did I know? Of course I knew! Not that you're exactly _subtle..._ ”

She punctuated her sentence by rolling her eyes at Celestia, and Celestia couldn't help but smile at the turn around in her attitude.

“Huh. You know, that makes a lot of sense. Gee, I could really use something like that...”

Chrysalis’ eyes popped out as she became a pole in Celestia's grasp.

“Really? You're the most empathetic creature I know.”

“Yeah, because I put a lot of effort into coming across that way. Like, the way your back straightened out just now, the way your eyes opened up... you're surprised, but that would have evaded me were I not consciously looking for the signals. It... was a long time before I realized that wasn't normal.”

There was a second as Chrysalis blinked what Celestia was trying to say into her mind, and, when she did, she nodded to herself thoughtfully.

“I... see. Well, you fooled me. You're more complex than I thought you were, princess.” She said, leaning back in Celestia's grasp and looking at the still-darkened ceiling, one last big question looming in the back of her mind. Biting her lip, Chrysalis reeled herself back in and got uncomfortably close to Celestia's face. “This is going to be my only chance to ask. You keep mentioning him. Who was your brother?”

The glow Celestia emanated seemed to darken slightly and her mane began to droop as if the supernatural flow of air holding it aloft had grown weaker. She sighed. The day wasn't over quite yet, it seemed.

“Nova. Good kid. Had a bit of a temper, but a strong sense of right and wrong, too. Nova… Nova got it the worst.” She paused, shaking her head, rattling the thoughts within to try and make something coherent. “Father's experiment left him vulnerable, and, the moment Nova became _Dusk Fall…_ a being known as Discord took him over. I'm… not sure which of the two I might have preferred!” 

She laughed a bittersweet laugh that trailed off into a scowl.

“And... as long as Twilight and her friends maintain the spell on Discord, and nobody finds my father's Amulet, Luna and I are... what's left.”

Celestia closed her eyes, and, somehow, Chrysalis found the energy within her to feel even more sorrow. Without thinking, she grabbed Celestia's shoulder, shaking it slightly.

“But… but does it have to be that way? Can't we do for Nova what we did for Luna?”

The idea caused Celestia to reopen her eyes, a renewed glint appearing in them.

“Hm. Nova's situation is more complicated than Luna's was, but...” She gave a half-hearted chuckle. “I suppose it would be insensitive of me to not try everything I could, considering... _your_ family situation, huh?”

The sensation of sorrow within Chrysalis blossomed into a profound guilt as she realized, even then, Celestia was thinking of her. Despite everything, even after everything Chrysalis had put her through that day alone...

She was a _complete_ and total SUCKER.

And it was a shame, Chrysalis thought, that Celestia hadn't shown her true colors until it didn't matter anymore. Until Chrysalis no longer had to stab ponies in the…

“16 days.” She muttered, earning a confused-eyebrow raise from Celestia. It was like the Sun looking at her. “I made you cry 16 days ago. _You._ ” 

She brushed a hoof through Celestia's mane.

“Beautiful, sweet, kind you. And I could've avoided it. Avoided _everything._ I'm… awful. I'm awful.”

“You don't need to-”

“I’m not saying that for your _pity._ ” Chrysalis snapped, causing Celestia to recoil. “No, don't, I... ugh! All I'm trying to say is… it's taken me this long to realize how much I've taken from you and how little I've given back. All you've ever BEEN is generous and patient and I keep throwing it in your FACE. My betrayal put an incredible burden upon you, and there isn't an excuse in the WORLD that could make that okay. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm…” 

She looked away as she could feel herself tear up again.

“So, so sorry.”

The Hive, finally, uncontracted, bathing the two of them in a rush of fresh, cold air and green light. The lanterns hanging from the ceiling above filled Celestia's watery eyes with stars as electricity filled her body. 

“Do you… really mean that?”

“Completely.”

Celestia's mane began flowing again as a titanic smile filled her face.

“Thank you. Really, thank you. That means a lot to me.” She said, her smile subtly shifting into a mischievous grin. “You realize this will only inflate my ego because I was right about you, yes?”

With a scoff, Chrysalis put her forelegs against her sides, leaning into Celestia's grasp.

“Oh, that remains to be seen.” Chrysalis said, pointing her head at the Hatchery entrance behind Celestia. “But for right now, I believe we've put off our little task for far too long.”

Celestia jumped like she was snapping out of a trance.

“Oh, yeah!” She nodded. “Let's do this.”

Never before had Chrysalis felt so unsure in addressing them, and the headache she'd had for some time now wasn't any help. But there they were, the whole lot of them, with Elytra, standing chest out, in front of the other Nurses and in front of Chrysalis. It wasn't a matter of being unprepared; Chrysalis knew what she was going to say, but it seemed to catch in her mouth, the words refusing to form out of the material given to them. 

At a loss, and the silence nearly at a breaking point, Chrysalis looked up to Celestia standing back at the entrance, and, for the first time that day, Chrysalis felt undeniably nice, something that bewildered her as the words finally found shape. In that moment, there was only one explanation she could think of for the phenomena.

This must be how it feels to have a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus ends Act 4, “All's Fair in the Love War”, with all the might and thunder that entails. You have the pieces. Choose carefully.
> 
> Things will be better now.


	21. Call & Response

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good evening, folks, and welcome to the latest installment of Gay Horse Drama! This week's is a bit of a double feature to usher in the new Act, but it's also because I hate myself! Watch! Watch as I dance for your amusement! 
> 
> What do you mean performing a series of dabs isn't dancing? Gee. This sure is a dog-eat-dog industry.

“Obviously, there are a few rumors I must address.”

The bright stage lights blinded Celestia for a moment, and everything went white as her vision readjusted, focusing upon the enraptured crowd before her. Beneath them lay an entire sea of folding chairs, but not even that could accommodate everypony, some being forced to sit around the edge of the wooden stage, none seeming to mind the grass if it meant an opportunity to be this close to the Princess. The scene behind her was constructed from cardboard clouds and hearts hung from the ceiling and one massive arc of a rainbow, bending from the top right to the middle bottom of the wall, framing her perfectly as she took her spot on stage.

And in that silent moment, Celestia resigned herself to the long night ahead.

“This dull charade has gone on for LONG ENOUGH.” Chrysalis said with a bang of her hoof that echoed through the walls of the Hive and carried deep into the structure. “It has been made THOROUGHLY apparent to me that our way of life is NOT sustainable. As is such, I give you now the plain truth: I have invited Princess Celestia to the Hive. She shall be considered an ally effective IMMEDIATELY. And I will see NO harm befall her. Any questions?”

The crowd of over 20 Nurses before her stood in a baffled silence, standing still as they waited for a pin to drop, or a retraction to be given, or the Hive to cave in, or anything. At the front, Elytra turned her head an inch and nodded to them, a small motion sparking a wave of murmurs. Soon, the chattering died down, and they faced back to the front.

“We’ll be able to provide for the larva again?”

“Yes.”

The Nurses looked between each other, then to Elytra, who stepped forward as she felt their eyes draw upon her. There was no hesitation in her stride as she stared Chrysalis in the eyes.

“How may we help?”

A smile crawled across Chrysalis’ face. Looking up and into the distance, she caught eye contact with Celestia, who was hiding just behind the Hatchery entrance, and gave her an exaggerated wink. What Chrysalis couldn't see, however, was the horrified expression painted on Celestia's face. 

And in that silent moment, Celestia resigned herself to the long night ahead.

“And I extend you a hearty WELCOME to this year's Evening with Princess Celestia!” Royal Ribbon said as she landed in her velvet-cushioned seat, microphone in tow, a score of cheering ponies accenting her as she presented her guest across the stage. “Like always, Princess Celestia is here again to have a _love_ -ly talk with us! How's it been, Princess?”

Celestia beamed as she retrieved a fresh cup of tea from the table between them.

“It's been great! The New Year's been great to me so far. How about you, Ribbon?”

“I'm good, I'm good!” Ribbon leaned out of her chair and brought her microphone close to her face, speaking in a scandalous tone. “So. Princess. I'll cut to the chase. The thing that’s been on everypony's minds. Is it true? You've been in contact with Queen Chrysalis?”

Just avoiding choking, Celestia bounced in her seat mid-sip.

“Oh! Getting to the hard stuff early, huh? Okay, okay, I'll talk. Kibitz won't like that I'm telling you this, but…” Celestia turned her head down for dramatic effect, then looked up at the crowd with a sly grin. “There's some truth to that. Chrysalis _has_ been sighted in the castles, but there’s no need to worry. Everypony is in... _very_ good hooves, if you catch my drift.”

She punctuated her statement by winking to the cheering crowd, and a mare near the front fainted.

“Hmm… I could really use that bed of yours.”

“You want _my_ bed?”

The decidedly diminutive study room wasn't designed for use by groups, and yet it seemed the royal pair was stubborn in defying that purpose. You see, studying is meant to be a private thing, best done alone or in a pair, but today, with their latest gathering, they had decided to commit their worst offense yet.

Turning away from the darkened windows with a scandalized glare, Chrysalis scoffed at Celestia.

“Not YOUR bed, sweetheart, the one here. In the wall. I haven't been sleeping as well since I last used it, and I can only surmise it brought me to a new standard of living...” She said, putting a hoof against her forehead and arching her back, causing Celestia to pop her head up from the floor with a doubtful expression.

“You've already been keeping them on it! You don't need to pretend like this is about _you_ , because it's a bit transparent!” She kneeled back down to inspect the dozen beeping grubs on the fold out bed who were crawling in an attempt to reach Celestia's face. “Hi there! Your mommy needs to be more open with her intentions! Doesn't she? That's right!”

A cold sweat overcame Chrysalis as she watched Celestia dote over her changelings, and she had to shake herself free of the vexing sensation before it took her over completely.

“Whatever. That's not the point.” She said, standing up straight and pointing at the other side of the room. “Ommatidia, Fovea, help us here! Labrum, Tarsus, Tegmina, grab that end! This test is complete.”

The five Nurse changelings that had been staring at Celestia from the edge of the room sprung to life, breaking into two groups and approaching either ends of the bed. Four followed the royal pair's lead and grabbed at the bed sheet without wasting a second, but Ommatidia took pause, hovering a foot away from Celestia with a frozen look in her eyes. It wasn't long before Celestia took notice, and she shot a pensive look back at the Nurse.

“Hm. I don't know what Chrysalis told you, but I don't bite.” She smiled wide. “See? Flat teeth.”

Ommatidia blinked.

“I know that.”

After a few seconds of introspection, she finally inched closer and found her spot. Now that all seven were in position around the bed, Chrysalis threw a hoof into the air.

“Excellent. On my count! 3… 2… 1!”

As the crowd died down, Celestia's playful smirk fell back to earth and straightened out, her features flattening and turning serious. The rest of the truth found itself ready in her mouth, and holding it back from her populace felt like a gaping hole in her chest. She pulled her mic away, danced her eyes around the stage floor, and sucked a sharp intake of air between her teeth as she brought it back.

“But please, let me be serious a moment. I really do understand the concern, and, were I out of the loop, I would be nervous, too. But trust me when I say…” She leaned into her mic for dramatic effect. “I've got plans for her. Anyway! Royal Ribbon and the crew did such a _great_ job with the set, right, everypony?”

The sound of keys unlocking a door wrung in her ears.

“You can stay a little longer.”

It wasn't until then Celestia realized how Chrysalis’ eyes glowed in the dark. 

The sun was moments away from dipping below the horizon, and the glint of Chrysalis’ narrow-eyed stare dug into Celestia's face as she stood there in the hallway, dumbstruck. She opened the door behind her just a crack, her leg beginning to fidget.

“You know. Just to unwind a bit.”

Everything was still as Chrysalis stared at Celestia long and good, the two of them not moving a muscle. In reality, the exchange only lasted mere seconds, but it felt like the world pivoted on that point, turning on an instant. Through a crack in the stone floor, a green sprout popped up and found air.

The only light emanated from the soft, orange glow of the fire place nearby. There were lamps in the room, but none were lit, and there was a bed, but they sat on the floor. Pure exhaustion seeped through every inch of the dark room and into the floorboards, but it was a relieved sort of exhaustion, like setting down for sleep after a hard day's work, or laying down one's chisel to marvel a masterpiece.

Celestia leaned her back into the side of the bed, distinctly aware of how close she sat next to Chrysalis, the electricity running in the space between them making it difficult to keep her eyes on the report in front of her. Celestia could even hear her breathing, if she focused upon it, and it took all of the self-control she had to still herself.

With time, however, the magnetism grew too great for even that, and she slid her head to the side only to trip as she saw Chrysalis reading with a book just an inch away from her face. Jaw quivering, Celestia opened her mouth only to be beaten to the punch.

“ _Uuuuugh!_ ”

With a groan emanating from the pits of her stomach, Chrysalis reeled her head back and brought it crashing down, smacking her face into her book and causing Celestia to drop her report.

“Ahh! Having some, uh... trouble there, Chrys?”

Chrysalis shot out.

“This is WEIRD! Do… I don't know. Tell me how you're going to thwart my plans, or something about _Justice_ or _Love_ or... something!”

A flush overcame Celestia as she darted her eyes around the room for some kind of an idea.

“Uh, uh… I've…” She glanced down at her report, furrowing her brow and giving a cavalier laugh. “Ha... ha! I’ve... awoken your Nurses to the virtues of Kindness, and, soon, your entire Hive will follow!?”

Feeling a rush of energy course through her, Chrysalis jumped to her hooves and pointed straight up into the air.

“Ah ha! While that may be so, my loyal Soldiers will NEVER sway to such WEAKLING notions of Friendship!” She said like a flame burning bright that, all at once, flickered out as her newfound energy drained from her body and she fell back to her knees. “I... don't know why this has to be so… why did I…”

She stopped mumbling as she felt something touch her back. Looking up and away from the floor, she saw a sullen Celestia leaning over her, her flowing mane completely blocking out the ceiling above. The Princess sighed.

“I'm sorry this has to be so... complicated. I, uh…”

The moment was interrupted as Celestia began to jitter, and the hoof she had placed on Chrysalis’ back started to shake.

“You know what you-” Celestia choked for a second and coughed into one of her hooves. “What you could use? Chrys?”

“What? Are you ill? Speak up.”

“Uh…” Celestia began to blush again. “Would you…”

_Take the leap, Celestia…_

Thankfully, the worst of the questions were already long behind her. The next hour of that year's Evening accelerated past Celestia as they moved on to the following segments, jumping from audience questions to various performance skits and so on. Along the way, she even got to do the watermelon smashing routine again. She loved that routine.

The audience finally quieted down as Royal Ribbon and Celestia returned to their new seats, the previous ones having been carried off for cleaning. With an effortless turn, Royal Ribbon retrieved her microphone from the table next to her and grasped it firmly with her telekinesis, moving unhindered into her final segue.

“Now, I know we've already kept you long enough, and we ask you this _every year_ , but it wouldn't be an Evening unless we DID, so, Princess…” She leaned in, cocking one of her eyebrows, leaving a pause for dramatic effect. “Do you have plans with anypony tonight?”

It was as if even the crickets and the moths and the grasshoppers themselves fell quiet in anticipation of a reply, and the audience fell rapt as they began searching for any signs of deceit in the Princess’ face, but Celestia had been ready for this since the Evening had began. She leaned back into her seat with a careless whimsy, looked up at the starry night sky, and brought her microphone to her face.

“Ah ha, as is tradition.” She said as she rolled her head to look over the crowd, and, far in the back, beyond the other ponies, just at the edge of her vision, Celestia saw a familiar, severe face, and she felt a lump in her throat. “Well, Ribbon, the truth is...”

Celestia took pause. Despite knowing what she was going to say, it caught in her throat, and her resolve to lie evaporated into thin air, taking her momentum away with it and grinding her to a halt. And in that silent moment, in that lingering instant that drove the audience wild with suspense, it all came back to her just how badly she wanted to be honest... to be honest about everything.

Things were much more quiet on the sleepy, congested roadways of Canterlot, but it wasn't something that was meant to last. Dozens of ponies turned their heads as Celestia entered the public space, and their attention laser-focused in as they noticed, alongside her standard retinue of guards, a black unicorn accompanying the Princess, standing close by her side. The unidentified companion petrified under the swathe of attention for a second, but gave a cocky grin as she peered into all of their eyes and saw jealousy. 

The royal entourage made haste through the crowded street, and, the moment they had broken free of their prying eyes, Chrysalis released a titanic groan aimed at the back of Celestia's neck, who was only half a step ahead of her.

“That was barbaric. You say you do this every year?”

Hearing those magic words, Celestia bent around to beam at Chrysalis, slowing down fast enough they almost collided with each other.

“Yeah, it's really important my public finds me trustworthy! Besides, I LOVE doing stuff like this, even _if_ this one was full of hard balls... but that just means I'm REALLY looking forward to tonight, now!” She bit her tongue, laughed once, and pursed her lips. “Not that I, uh… We're going to have to talk about your diplomatic skills at some point, too.”

_CELESTIA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!_

There was a spine-tingling second as Celestia waited for Chrysalis to respond while the two stared at each other, Chrysalis not showing a single sign of bemusement, and Celestia beginning to sweat more and more.

Eventually, a smirk spared Celestia from her torture.

“And I'm sure you have plenty to teach me about talking much but saying little.” Chrysalis said, returning a jab like a needle deflating the pressurized hot air balloon that was Celestia, the Princess almost audibly releasing her breath as she narrowed her eyes.

“Hey! I can't make too many waves until the Hive falls in line.” She said, her expression shifting as a dangerous glare appeared in her eyes. “Anyway, we should really pick up the pace. If we get there late, we might have to _changeling_ our seats.”

Chrysalis’ soul left her body as she stopped dead in the middle of hoof traffic.

“The allegiance is off. I'm declaring war on Equestria. You think I'm joking, but I- hey, get back here!”

“You’ll have to catch me!” Celestia said in a sing-songy voice as she blew a raspberry and ran into the distance, Chrysalis breaking into a sprint to chase her close behind, their poor armored guards trailing at a distance.

“Is THIS how royalty is meant to _BEHAVE?_ ”

And the time slipped away from them.

The moon had just begun to peak over the horizon when the royal pair arrived at their destination. 

The building entrance was big and grand, seeming to extend forever into the distance, and every surface that wasn't covered in velvet was polished to a golden sheen, dimly lit by chandelier light. It had been a long, long time since Celestia had walked the halls of Fifth Act Theater, and even longer since she had done it for personal reasons. Under normal circumstances, the idea of seeing a play would have been the thing she was most excited for, but there was something else about it that stole the show for her.

“And you're certain you can't hear... her?”

A small, whispering voice pulled Celestia around, and she felt dizzy as she looked up at Chrysalis, who was standing nearly a foot over her now. 

If Celestia had known the more dramatic height difference was going to make it harder to resist her urges, then she would have put more thought into choosing her form first. But, the situation as it were, she found staring up at Chrysalis to be...

“Celestia.”

And she landed back into reality with a glorious crash.

“WHAT? NO! I-I, uh... can't hear her! I have... _no_ doubt it's a proximity thing, so try not to worry, okay? We're going to have a great time tonight. Especially now that I'm in _disguise!_ ” She brushed her golden mane aside and laughed in a way that was entirely not cool. “I'm just... so happy you said yes to this. I'm still in shock, to be honest.”

It was then they found their way into the theater, and Chrysalis passed through the double doors with a snicker.

“Well, I don't really get the appeal of sitting in a dark room doing nothing for hours but watch ponies pretend to be other ponies when they can't even _shape-shift_ , but…” She turned in the darkness and gave Celestia a half-cocked smile. “This is the first thing you've invited me to that was strictly personal, so I can't really say no, now, can I?”

Celestia's face turned warm.

“I suppose not.”

It was then that four figures rushed past the two of them and further in, and Celestia couldn't help but get distracted as she caught a shred of their conversation. 

“It's going to be fine, son. We'll figure it out.” 

Looking up, she saw Eclair, who was accompanied by his husband Kibitz, who seemed troubled as he patted the back of their equally-troubled son, who walked beside none other than the familiar face of Luna. Out of impulse, Celestia thought to reach out, but the three of them were already long gone, turning sharply to the left and walking up the stairs to the box seats. 

In her current state, she couldn't have said anything of worth anyhow.

But the thought still drifted to the back of her mind and lodged itself there as she moved deeper into the theater with Chrysalis. It wasn't long before they found their seats far, far in the back; the furthest back, in fact, directly by the doorway. Celestia was used to the box seats high up, but, for whatever reason, she didn't mind the idea of sitting in the near-perfect darkness far away from the stage right next to Chrysalis.

They nestled in at the farthest left, each taking a seat directly next to the other, a fact Chrysalis had not considered prior to their arrangement as Celestia sank into the spot not even an inch away and a panic overcame her. Chrysalis shot a look to the right, not only realizing they were alone in the back but also realizing how disappointed she was to see somepony who didn't look like Celestia.

It was just odd. Logically, she knew that it was Celestia sitting there, but, for whatever reason, Chrysalis had already begun missing her familiar, bright face, the realization feeling like a gaping void in the Queen's chest. But maybe, just maybe, she still felt like Celestia… perhaps, Chrysalis thought, this was a theory worth following...

As the curtains parted and the actors began to take their places, Celestia felt a bump against her leg, and, when she went to look up at the source, she could only manage to catch Chrysalis freezing solid, eyes facing forward in a severe stare. Putting two and two together, Celestia gave a loving shake of her head and leaned over.

“If you want to get touchy, I won't stop you.” She whispered, and Chrysalis crossed her forelegs in a defensive huff.

“As _if!_ ”

Unconvinced, Celestia rolled her eyes and looked back towards the stage.

“If you say so.”

The play itself wasn't anything special, but, at the same time, that's not really what the night was about. It was all quite predictable, really, how the events unfolded: the protagonist met the love of his life, forces transpired to separate the two of them, and, when all hope had seemed lost, Chrysalis, without realizing it, leaned over and discreetly looped her foreleg around Celestia's, resting her head on her shoulder. The sensation caused Celestia to shake a little, but, when she went to look this time, she saw those stars in Chrysalis’ eyes again, and Celestia found it difficult to look back at the stage.

As the actors bowed, the audience applauded, and the curtains fell, Chrysalis sat straight back up, tugging Celestia’s leg with her as she got swept up in the moment.

“That was… I've never seen deception employed like that! Maybe this wasn't pointless after all!” Chrysalis said as she jumped to her hooves, her excitement making sitting down an impossibility. “I can't even think of anything to complain abou- no, the seats were awful. That's all I have.”

With a swift hop, Celestia followed Chrysalis out of her seat and nearly crashed into her, possessed by a similar excitement, spurred on by her beating heart.

“I'm so, so glad you enjoyed it! Ahhh, we should do this again sometime! With better seats!” She looked over the rest of the theater and up at the boxes above, happening to catch her sister gaze down at the civilians funneling themselves out. “Oh, I can see Lu over- we should go talk to her!”

Luna dropped her empty cup of popcorn.

“You took Chrysalis out to see a play on _Hearts and Hooves Day?_ ” She whispered through clenched teeth, causing Celestia to cower into the wall of the box seats.

“I-It wasn't like that, Luna! Honest! The project has been really stressful on her, and it had been a while since I saw a play, and, well...” She looked down and kicked the floor. “She's probably straight, anyhow.”

The resignation in Celestia's voice nullified the warmth in the room, chilling even the air itself and stopping Luna dead in her tracks. She pulled herself away from the view of the theater below and looked at her sister with a tilt of her head.

“Well, you shan't know until you actually attempt to woo her.” She said as she upturned her nose, stinging Celestia just enough to fling her out of her funk.

“Oh, oof. Ouch. I felt that one.” Celestia said as she pressed into her chest, right above her heart. “Shan't. We were using that back then?”

Dancing past the riposte, Luna took to wandering around the box seat.

“Hm. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm feeding your impulses too much. Should I be keeping you up late for Sister Board Game Saturday? Was it really wise to give Twilight her final test so soon?”

Celestia dug her heels into the ground and stood firm.

“I believe in Twilight. She's shown me time and again that she would take up the mantle as alicorn responsibly. Maybe even take up my _throne_ responsibly.” She said, looking up and away at the ceiling. “And… well, to be a bit frank... she's the only one out of her friends who doesn't have a date tonight and I think she might need the pick-me-up.”

A shadowy pall draped itself over Luna as her sister gazed upwards, something in her words taking a heavy toll on the Princess of the night. As Celestia looked down, however, Luna was quick to pull off her veil and regain her sarcastic demeanor.

“Point taken. But this talk of releasing Discord...?”

“Well, the Discord thing is… just a thought Chrysalis had. I felt it was worth considering.”

Luna snapped to face Celestia.

“Ah, so it WAS her! How _illuminating._ ” She said, her expression growing curious. “I simply find it interesting that she's the one thing you aren't willing to take a risk on. What happened to the brazen Celestia of our youth?”

This time, Luna's words dug deep, causing Celestia to flinch. As much as she wanted to counter, she couldn't deny the truth. So, instead, she leaned over, brow furrowed and nostrils flared.

“Okay, fine. You want brazen, sister? I've already got a great idea.”

A glint appeared in her eye as, outside, a brooding Crescendo stamped the ground.

“I just don't understand! If Celestia was already here, then why didn't she join us?”

“Now, now, son, we mustn't pry into the Princess’ business.” Eclair said, chasing his son back and forth in the hall. Kibitz stood from a distance, tracking the both of them with his eyes.

“Yes, you listen to your father, young man. Because your other father makes that same mistake everyday.” 

Kibitz's ear twitched as he heard hoofstep coming up from behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he was disappointed but unsurprised to find, of all creatures, an undercover Chrysalis standing just a foot away from him, and he sighed.

“Oh, speak of the devil. Seems I cannot evade you, even in my personal life. Can't you see I'm occupied with family business?” He said, putting a hoof against his side and gesturing to his distressed son. “You see this, Crescendo? This is daddy's nightmare made corporeal.”

Chrysalis sneered, but a previous version of her would have hissed.

“BELIEVE me, I KNOW you don't like me and I'm not happy about seeing you again EITHER. But we must remain civil for the sake of a certain Princess Celesti-”

A light tap on the shoulder interrupted Chrysalis. Turning her head, she froze up as she saw a certain Princess Celestia, who had exited the box seats and managed to stand beside her without her noticing.

“Kibitz, Eclair, Crescendo.” Celestia said, nodding at the three figures past Chrysalis once each with a cool confidence. “Fancy meeting you all here! I hope everything is well.”

Then Celestia faced Chrysalis proper and gestured at the exit with a flick of her head.

“Hey, come on. Night's not over yet.”

Chrysalis felt her hearts begin to race.

The castle was pitch black that late at night, most of the staff gone for the day, the most persistent of petitioners having given in, and even Luna being soon to be gone to monitor the dreaming world. And so it was that the castle was empty save for two occupants then, a certain Celestia and Chrysalis finding themselves utterly isolated from the rest of the world, their only guide a small, flickering candle light as they delved into the darkness.

“This wasn't part of the deal, princess.”

“It's going to be worth it. I promise.”

Soon they came upon a set of doors, and, when Celestia opened them, they led to a darkness so deep that even their candle couldn't penetrate it, the inky fathoms within finding themselves too powerful to be cleared. Chrysalis, however, could see plain as day, and it quickly became obvious to her that the candle had been found lacking because Celestia had led the both of them right to none other than the royal Canterlot ballroom.

And Chrysalis thought her hearts might beat out of her chest.

Gliding across the clean tile floor ahead, Celestia found a chair and set her candle down, illuminating an old record player in the process. She smiled and turned around, backlit with golden candlelight, now, as she reached out to Chrysalis with half-lidded, sparkling eyes and steadied her breath.

“May I have this dance?” She said, expounding every drop of charisma she had saved up for her entire life, the single, heady sentence bouncing and rebounding off the walls as Chrysalis stared at Celestia for what felt like ages. And just as the tension grew unbearable and Celestia felt she might crumble to pieces, Chrysalis’ jaw fell slack.

“You brought me all this way to _dance?_ ”

Panic washed over Celestia as her face turned red.

“W-Well…”

“Are you _SERIOUS_ right now?” Chrysalis said, stomping up to a Celestia paralyzed like a deer in headlights.

“Y-Yeah! Serious! W-Why do you need an excuse to dance?”

As if things couldn't get any worse, Chrysalis shoved her face into Celestia's and eyeballed her with suspicion, getting far too close for comfort. Celestia could feel herself begin to melt through the floor as Chrysalis spent what had to have been an eternity piercing her with her vision.

“You expect that to work on me? No. Give me a reason.”

Celestia waved her forelegs in protest.

“O-Okay, okay, fine! I've got an important ball coming up, and I'm rusty, and I thought you thought it could be fun, and you keep saying yes to things I thought you would say no to so I thought it was a thought worth giving a shot! Bleh!”

All trace of emotion wiped itself away from Chrysalis’ face, which was worse, somehow.

Then Chrysalis shrugged.

“Eh. I've already gone this far. What could it hurt?”

An ecstatic smile painted itself upon Celestia's face as the weight of the world lifted off of her shoulders and she let go of every bit of breath from her body. 

_I don't know how I keep pulling this off..._

The arm of the record player behind her fell with a click and the record began to turn, exquisite waltz music filling the air around them as she took Chrysalis’ right hoof in her left.

“E-Excellent choice, Madame.”

“Savor this. I won't let you outwit me again.”

Celestia nodded, stifling back her explosive excitement.

They turned a few times to find their rhythm first, then Celestia's right hoof found itself on Chrysalis’ back, and Chrysalis’ left hoof hung itself over Celestia's shoulder, completing their closed position. Then they began to sway.

First clockwise, then counterclockwise, then clockwise again, they danced inching their way around the ballroom, never quite leaving the perimeter of candlelight, but not quite entering it, either. And, just as they went to sway counterclockwise again, Celestia twisted her body further and led Chrysalis into a quick twirl, pulling her in close as it completed.

"You know..." Celestia said, eyeing Chrysalis up and down in her embrace. "I'd never realized I was taller than you until now."

Chrysalis’ face flashed green as she broke closed position and spun away from Celestia, their only contact now their outstretched hooves.

“D-Don’t push it, princess! Or shall I bring up those screenplays I found beneath your desk?”

With a twist of her chest, Celestia regained the lead and pulled Chrysalis back into closed position, replacing her right hoof on Chrysalis’ back as she chuckled with amusement.

“Ah, so you DID see those! Perfect. Now you know my dark, _illustrious_ secret.” Celestia said, sighing as she turned her shoulder to the right and the two of them heel-turned in kind. “The Lone  & The Lost, huh… if I must be honest, it sounds more like a subtitle. So I suppose it's an untitled play. Oh, I could never save that poor thing. Chalk it up to my avid consumption of romance and mystery novels. That…” 

There was a break in the motion as Celestia processed what she had just said and she lead Chrysalis into a promenade position.

“That... probably explains a lot about me.”

Chrysalis threw her head back and laughed.

“That really does!” She said, pulling herself closer and initiating stronger body contact. “But it kind of just makes you more _adorable._ ”

The intimate position sent energy bristling through Celestia's body, inspiring her heart to beat faster as they danced even harder. For each of Celestia's calls, Chrysalis had a response, every rise having a fall, every leading movement of the body following into another step. Soon, they lost themselves in the act, becoming a part of a single whole.  
Compressing the two of them together, Celestia guided her left hoof toward Chrysalis’ right, leading her away before applying tension and pulling her back close.

“I had no idea you were such a great dancer, Chrysalis.” She said, whispering into Chrysalis’ ear. “You know, I heard the play Kibitz's son is in is missing an actor, and they've been having trouble replacing her, and I was thinking... _you_ could replace her, in theory…”

In that moment, the arm of the record player skipped off and the music died with a shrill screech as a crushing sensation overcame Chrysalis and she pulled away from Celestia, breaking contact. Now standing at a distance from each other, Chrysalis found herself plunged in the darkness, alone.

“Of COURSE! You aren't spontaneous enough to do something like this, you had an ulterior _motive!_ ” She said, advancing back to the ring of candle light and jabbing at her pained chest. “Me? _Acting?_ Are you DAFT?”

Mirroring her movement, Celestia began to approach the edge of darkness, a staunch confidence in her stride.

“I'm serious, I think you'd enjoy it! You already have a ton of experience, and any actor would KILL to have shape-shifting powers. I think you would do great!” She said, making a quick gesture in the air. 

They entered each other's proximity again just as they met at the light border, Chrysalis observing Celestia with sly suspicion even as the Princess stuck to her guns. 

“Rich of _you_ to be telling me to spend more time on hobbies, Celestia.” Chrysalis said with a glare that failed to land as Celestia shrugged it off and pointed her head down, giving Chrysalis a wry smile. There was a pervasive silence as Celestia stalled her rebuttal, a silence that was broken as her eyes popped open in wonder.

“Actually, that reminds me. Do you really have more than one heart, Chrysalis?”

Chrysalis dropped her stance as she looked down and away, bringing a hoof to her chin.

“Hm... well, it's more like I have one and a half. There's my primary heart, then there's my auxillary…” She stopped mid-sentence as she looked back up to see Celestia's wide smile. “... Stop that.”

“Stop what?”

“You know what you're doing.”

Celestia gave Chrysalis a big, taunting smile.

“And you're the one that keeps falling for it.” She said, causing Chrysalis’ mouth to snap shut and her face to flush green as Celestia twirled away to reset the record player. As angry as it made her, Chrysalis couldn't deny it; once again, Celestia had gotten her good.

_Ugh. How did I end up here? She was my enemy, then I tried to spy on her, and NOW here I am, all of my own volition…_

_I'm not supposed to be this WEAK. What am I missing?_

And fate decided to give her her answer as Celestia turned to Chrysalis again and the music began to pick up where it had left off. 

“I believe there is some... unresolved tension in our duel, here.”

With a bow, Celestia extended her left hoof in offering, and Chrysalis didn't hesitate to make a move to accept it, but something stopped her before she could enter the light. It felt as if somebody else was holding her back, like arms wrapping around her neck and choking her, restraining her no matter how hard she tried to resist and plead with them, planting her firmly in place.

But then she looked up and saw Celestia, saw how gentle she smiled awash with music, saw how the golden light backing her flowing mane set stars in her eyes, and Chrysalis felt that same nice feeling from before.

And Chrysalis ripped herself free, and took her partner’s hoof.

“I suppose this means war.”

“Shame. And here I thought peace was not far off.”

And as the pair went to dance again, the song began to ramp into its climax, and the two turned, then turned, then turned again, their rotation increasing with speed as the music built to a head, and, just as it swelled, Celestia dipped Chrysalis low, quite literally sweeping her off of her hooves and supporting her with nothing but her own body strength. Celestia looked down at her from above, like the Sun looking down at the Earth with warmth, and gave a smoldering grin.

“Well met, villainess. Seems we've reached an impasse.” She whispered, gliding a hoof across Chrysalis’ back, and the world fell away as a frazzled, blushing Chrysalis felt her body melt into Celestia's grasp. Gravity seemed to let the both of them go as Chrysalis was overcome with the feeling there was something she was supposed to be saying, but the words evaded her as she couldn't hold a single straight thought, instead only managing a dumbfounded stammer. 

“I- I- I- I-”

“You and I have already gone this far, so let's stop dancing around the subject. What say you to making our courtship-”

Chrysalis jumped out of her carapace as she felt Celestia touching the small of her back. 

“I’M _STRAIGHT!_ I-I'm STRAIGHT! I-I'm…”

Chrysalis started heaving as Celestia blinked.

Taken out of the moment, brought back to the cold reality of the ballroom, she gave Chrysalis a look like she was talking nonsense, but then it finally hit her, and Celestia widened her eyes in surprise.

“Oh. _Oh!_ Well, that's…” She looked up and down at how she was holding Chrysalis and began to laugh to herself. “I'm sorry, that's terribly embarrassing!”

She let go of Chrysalis and stumbled a step away from her, rubbing at the back of her head.

“Wow. I... guess I just thought…” Celestia began to laugh even more. “I thought usually, when straight mares hear I'm into them, they freak out or stop talking to me so much, so, when you kept playing along, I-I…”

“N-No, no, no, it's okay. I had already… made peace with it long before then. I-I should have been been more clear.” Chrysalis said between panting breaths.

Each word exchanged felt like a twisting stab in her gut, but she knew there was nothing she could do to take them back, no matter how much she wanted to, no matter how much poisonous regret she held in her body. The impulse kept hitting her to reach out and comfort Celestia, but it was as if those hands had frozen her in place again, and all she could do was watch as Celestia grew into yet even brighter shades of red.

“Perhaps you should have. Perhaps I shouldn't have made such assumptions.” She said, her face like a tomato, unable to look up from the ground. “Gosh, this is hilarious! Embarrassing, even. And here I thought I'd gotten good at picking up signals!”

“M-Must have been cosmic rays… interfering.”

The cute comment was what got Celestia to pick herself back up, and she glanced at Chrysalis with a bittersweet smile.

“Yeah. Likely theory.”

They said nothing else to each other that night. Soon, Chrysalis disappeared into the shadow without a noise, the only thing alerting Celestia being the disappearance of the company of her green, glowing eyes. Celestia wasn't close behind, and she lingered upon the nearly burned-out candle resting on the chair beside her.

What happened next was sort of a haze, but, when Celestia came back to, she found herself in the watchtower, leaning in the doorway, staring down Luna, who was moments away from disappearing into the dream world. Luna seemed concerned, her eyes big and saucer-like.

“Sister? Why aren't you answering me? What happened with Chrysalis?”

The words were out of her mouth before she could even consider saying them.

“I was right, Lu.”

“Right? What about?”

Celestia smiled a big, delirious smile.

“Chrysalis is straight.”


	22. Toil & Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having trouble thinking of a witty forward. I'm kind of just really worked up right now. And does that have to do with anything that happens in this chapter? Hmmm I'm going to classify that as a spoiler, so I'll leave it until the end. Don't skip to the end note unless you've already read this week's chapter, okay? If you haven't, but you still skip to the end note anyway, I'm going to be real peeved, got it? Don't skip to the end note. I'm being serious right now. Don’t do it.

The air was humid and warm like the essence of a swamp bottled in wax, but it was nothing compared to the flames engulfing her body.

High up, within the walls, a pair of faint, purple lanterns flashed to life, a haunting presence which began slinking between the holes in the structure with a practiced, deliberate precision, forming a slow circle around the chamber perimeter. They moved without a sound, almost impossibly silent, but this was more than a formality than anything, as the uproar radiating from below would have drowned even a gunshot out in its volume.

Just then, another resounding thunk rung throughout the chamber as the single figure wandering it's center groaned and smacked her head against the back of her obsidian throne.

“This is… this is…” Chrysalis flung her head back up, flicking her sweat-drenched mane into the air, and forced out a hearty laugh. “Me? Celestia? US? Good GRIEF, I-I-I could list reasons all DAY why that wouldn't work! Ha, ha, where would I even BEGIN? Why do I even... she's just so PRISSY and PRIM and PROPER and I'm…!”

She faltered as the hearts trying to beat out of her chest interrupted her thought process, and she spun away from her throne in a vicious attempt to thrash against the increasing urge to cease up.

“REGARDLESS! We're just too different, and it would be too complicated, and we'd make for a terrible couple, so that's… that's… just that! Ridiculous! Nothing! Nonsense!” 

Just then, a lump heard her raving and manifested in her throat, forcing her to screech to a halt. Like wires puppeteering her body, Chrysalis felt something draw her eyes up to the light filtering in through the hole in the chamber ceiling, then back around to her throne.

“… Right?”

The weight of her breathy voice shook her weak, limp body as a green glint drew her attention downwards. Squinting at her rattled reflection in the Shaping Stone before her, Chrysalis couldn't shake the urge to cry, and the watchful lanterns in the walls went out.

With the break of new day, the faint hum of buzzing began to fill the corroded interior of the Hive, but it was not a buzzing like any other buzzing; this buzzing was higher-pitched than the sounds most changelings made, more difficult for other species to hear. And, looking down from the ridge above, Stinger and Pharynx caught sight of their Queen passing through a gap in the wall, a gathering crowd of buzzing Scouts following her in.

Unable to hide his contempt, Stinger narrowed his eyes in disgust and looked up with a click.

“Tch. Has her eminence seemed… different, as of late? She carries… a different scent. _Pony-ish._ ”

Pharynx began to nod as a low-to-the-ground figure slunk behind the two of them.

“Yeah, yeah, I get what you mean. Hey, shorty!” He said as he swiveled on an axis, causing the Scout that had been huddling in the shadows to freeze up. “Why the heck do we keep catching these whiffs of love going around? The Soldiers haven't been out for months!”

“O-Oh. Um. H-Hey, big guy!” The diminutive Scout stammered as she forced a smile at Pharynx. “Uh, well, her contemptuousness was gathering us Scouts to explain that right now, actually... I guess having a few Soldiers along couldn't... _hurt…?_ ”

She ended her statement with a hesitant shrug, and Pharynx and Stinger gave each other a doubtful glance as the unmistakable sound of wax shifting filled the air.

The group was at least 70 Scouts deep and Chrysalis stood at the head of them all, commanding their unwavering attention as she paced the wide platform she had corralled them upon. By the time the tardy trio had arrived, she was already part of the way through her overblown speech.

“But we shall not dwell upon that, for our long-lamented string of bad luck has come to a MOMENTOUS FALL! I do not know what the Nurses or… _Thorax_ have told you about the _plan_ , but…” She turned her back to the group for dramatic effect before tilting her head around, looking at them with a single eye. In that moment, one could hear a pin drop as Chrysalis took one final gulp. “They speak the truth. I have allowed the ponies to assist us in our dire time of need.”

“ _What?_ ”

The gruff, bullheaded voice of a Soldier rose high above the Scouts and snapped Chrysalis’ attention around, the startled Scouts nearly trampling each other to reveal, far in the back, the two intruders: Pharynx and Stinger. Chrysalis’ eye twitched as she turned to face them and the rest of her speech forever melted into soup in her mind.

“Pharynx, Stinger, what are you-”

“Please, pardon our insubordination, but that's... _suicide_ , my Queen!” Stinger interjected, shoving his way past his comrades. “What happened to no surrender? To never asking quietly, to TAKING what we are owed? 

Pharynx ran along and hit Stinger on the shoulder.

“Yeah! What he said!” He said, ignoring how Stinger seemed to clam up at his words. “It was YOU who taught us dropping our guard was the same as DEATH.”

By then, Chrysalis’ shock had been given the time to ferment into a potent anger, laser-focused onto the lightning rod that was Pharynx's bravado. With a shake of her head and a series of blinks, she marched over and towered above him.

“Ah, what a relief. It seems you DO listen to my lessons after all! But you fail to realize it was MY judgment that dropping our guard this ONCE was our only way to LIVE.” Chrysalis tremored, firing a strict glare that silenced the off-guard Pharynx before gliding her vision over to his nonplussed companion. “And _Stinger._ Tsk, tsk. At times, your military skill has made ruling this Hive a manageable task, something that is no small feat in absence of a worthy King. But this does NOT mean you are always RIGHT.”

She shot her head up to look over the crowd.

“It is our nature to CHANGE. We learn. We adapt. We survive. You would ALL do well to remember that.”

All at once, a murmur amongst the crowd arose over the spat they had just witnessed, and a white, indignant frustration began to well up inside of Pharynx. He tried telling himself that this was just some kind of twisted exercise, that the moment he accepted this premise he would be given a failure, and he would be set back on his training as punishment. But then he noticed the silvery glint on Chrysalis’ chest, and that was when he remembered the necklace chained around his Queen's neck, the one she had sworn up and down for a month now was a prize she had stolen for herself.

And he felt sick.

At a loss for words, Pharynx shot a look into the throng of Scouts, catching the nervous eyes of Thorax mixed in with the others, and they stared at each other in silence.   
Overcome with an even sicker feeling in his gut, Pharynx looked back at Stinger and gestured with his head towards the exit.

“Let's go, Stinger.” He muttered under his breath. “These guys are losers.” 

And the foggy-headed Stinger lagged behind as Pharynx sulked away, head low to the ground. Chrysalis watched on in stony silence as her disgruntled Soldiers shuffled way, and she frowned to herself as a thought formed in her mind that terrified her deep down to her very core, as if every fear she had ever felt had finally come to pass.

_Celestia can fix this. She can fix anything._

The clothing shop was sickeningly sweet, every cream white surface draped with purple streamers and pink ribbons, accented by frills and lace that bedecked every technicolor outfit on display, but of everything awful about the store, the one thing that was truly sickening to Chrysalis was how flimsy it's security was. She wasn't even sure why exactly they _locked_ the doors. 

At the same time, however, she had to admit she didn't much care for the decor either. As she sauntered through the dark store room without a sound, she found it quite difficult to not retch at how blindingly feminine everything was. It just wasn't her style.

Taking another step, she caught a light out of the corner of her eye and turned to find herself looking into a mirror. Geeze, did someone brush her mane when she wasn't looking? This would not do. Not if she was going to see Celestia.

As Chrysalis pulled a hoof up to purposefully dishevel her mane, another glimpse of light appeared behind her back, causing her hearts to grind to a halt as she was struck with flashbacks to a certain assassination attempt, and she spun around with blinding speed only to find, to her surprise, nothing was there. Hearts still racing, she turned around to give a second, more thorough look into the mirror, but only grew more confounded as she could have sworn the peculiar glint seemed to be coming OFF of her back. Extending one out, she was startled to see a blinding, silvery wing staring back at her, and, with a squint, she was even able to notice some of the holes that normally dotted it had disappeared. 

Snapping her wing closed, Chrysalis shuffled away from the mirror and swore to never think of it again.

_That designer sure is taking her sweet time… at this rate I'm going to be late to that charity dinner..._

The thought kept running through Celestia's mind as she mustered everything she could to stand perfectly still in the array of mirrors before her, but, as more time passed, she found it difficult to resist bouncing one of her legs ever so slightly. Eventually, with even more time, her eyes wandered and her body followed suit, her green and blue dress rustling as she began to pace the fitting room back and forth.

“I can do this. It's nothing new for me. Sure, the optics are horrible, and the political elements are messy… but if I could mediate that spat between the griffons and the dragons 400 years ago, then I can manage this, right? … Right?”

“Right.”

Celestia nearly jumped into a mirror as a voice emanated from between the racks behind her. Spinning around, she almost jumped into another mirror as she realized who the voice had come from.

“O-Oh! Chrysalis! I hadn't… seen you there.” She said, giving a meek laugh that shook her body like wind through trees. Her face began to form a light blush as she scrambled to pull up the fallen shoulder of her dress, a task which was soon abandoned as she noticed something harboring in Chrysalis’ eye and she put a concerned tilt on her head. “Hey, is everything okay? That's your ‘harboring a troubling secret’ scowl.”

Chrysalis had to fight the impulse to run into Celestia's embrace right then and there.

Instead, she poked her head out, looked to the left, then to the right, then stepped out into the open to approach Celestia. She knew she had been asked a question, and she knew she would be expected to answer it, but she snuck past it all to instead fix Celestia's shoulder, which in turn allowed her to zip up the back of the Princess’ dress, pulling the tab deliberately so as to savor the click of each pair of teeth kissing together. Then she noticed the disarray of Celestia's appearance and, before she knew it, Chrysalis had begun to fuss. 

“Tch! Look at this collar. You call yourself a Princess? And this coat! You're letting your looks go to waste.” She said, giving the cloth a tug and setting it straight with her hooves, only to finally be stopped dead as she glanced up. 

Even in that moment, Celestia's affect was impenetrable, and Chrysalis found it a bit disturbing how little Celestia seemed to let on after the tumultuous night they had just shared. If Chrysalis had to put word to it, the only thing she could detect in the Princess’ face was an intense, unrelenting concern for her that made the Queen's throat go dry. And her forehead damp.

So, with a groan, Chrysalis leaned onto her hooves and pressed her frustration into Celestia's chest. 

“Augh, who am I kidding. You won't let this go. I'm wearing my ‘harboring a troubling secret’ scowl because…” She looked down and away. “It seems my fears were not... unfounded. There's been dissension amongst my changelings.”

Celestia sprung back, nearly letting Chrysalis fall but catching her at the last second. 

“ _What?!_ Chrysalis, that's really bad! I can't announce the truce if there's active resistance on the other side!”

Hearing her full-length name again caused Chrysalis to wince, and she wrested herself out of Celestia's grasp.

“I know, I know! Look, I'll handle this. Don't let it worry you, okay?” She said, still avoiding eye contact as she pulled away further. “You've... already done so much for me.”

In that moment, Celestia saw a familiar pain in Chrysalis’ language, a damnable pain Celestia so rarely had the luxury to see in another creature, and she didn't hesitate to listen to her intense instinct to follow Chrysalis when it struck her.

“Really? Are you sure? Because I-” Celestia bit her tongue before she could finish, however, forcing the rest back into her throat and shaking her head. “No... scratch that. Yes! Of course you can... handle this. We still have a few days until I plan to do my speech, anyhow.”

Then she did that same concerned head tilt from before.

“But I know better than anyone else how hard it can be to be the leader of a nation. I'm always here if you need to lean on me, okay?”

As much as she may or may not have wanted to, Chrysalis didn't respond.

And Celestia responded by touching the bottom of Chrysalis’ chin, nudging it up so that they looked each other in the eye, lights cascading in them like rainbows. Celestia’s resolve was less unsettling and more warm, now, as she repeated herself.

“Okay?”

Chrysalis tried to convince herself she didn't like how this felt. Eventually, she found the resolve to nod in the affirmative and do nothing else, but not after much internal battling.

“Okay.”

Celestia gave her same, awful grin.

“Good. Now do you think this outfit screams ‘Spring’ enough?”

The shop’s back alley was dark and lonesome, inexorably tied to it's lively front with a bond that was somehow impossible to break. A gathering place for various forms of trash and forgotten objects, Chrysalis would normally bask in the low, cold light, but, leaning on the brick wall, she couldn't help but do anything else. 

“Pharynx. Stinger. Two of my finest.” She whispered under her breath, kicking over a can as a sigh shivered through her. “I’m... not surprised you're resisting. I just don't know why you were at the… oh, it's no use now. I'm just lucky it was only the _two_ of you. But if it took Celestia decades to convince _me_ , then what odds do I have convincing _you…?_ ”

_Face it. Your little change of plans is suicidal, because you're helpless on your own, Ch-_

Her thoughts were obliterated as a rustling sound from the other end of the alley shot terror into her body, and she didn't hesitate to enter disguise with a gout of flame, swiping up an old newspaper off the ground out of desperation. 

There was a grueling moment of silence that was invariably followed by the sound of hoofstep. Each one after the other grew louder and louder, and she began to sweat bullets as they inevitably landed next to her at the back door. Unable to resist her curiosity, Chrysalis peeked out with a single eye and was surprised to find… 

One of Twilight's friends. The prissy one, with the white coat. As Chrysalis gawked at her with disbelief, she smiled and gave her a wink.

“Greetings, miss.”

Then something snapped.

All over, Rarity began to glow a bright green as Chrysalis flung her backwards, slamming her against the opposing brick wall and charging towards her like an angry locomotive. Steam was practically coming out of Chrysalis’ mouth when she wrenched it open.

“WHAT ARE _YOU_ DOING HERE?”

The single, decisive act of aggression sent everything in the alley skywards. As the dust settled, Rarity began to cough and fight against her restraints.

“Hey! Is this the kind of welcome I get?”

“YES. SPEAK, WORM.”

Staring at the sharp teeth Chrysalis bore, a cruel, out-of-place scowl appeared on Rarity's face, as if there was someone else behind her coat animating it.

“Ugh. Can't a changeling just say hi these days? Sheesh.” In that moment, a flash of purple lightning enveloped Rarity, and Chrysalis looked on without a single flinch as she found herself looking into another one of King Scythe's skeezy, disgusting smiles. And suddenly, he was no longer resisting; in fact, he seemed amused by Chrysalis’ show of force, and he began to chuckle to himself as he looked her body up and down. “But I guess some things never change.”

His eyes felt like hundreds of legs crawling on her carapace, a sensation Chrysalis had never accommodated herself to in the centuries she had the misfortune of knowing him, and she couldn't help but recoil in disgust, dropping him to the ground. Despite the familiarity with which she found herself in this position, Chrysalis still went cold like ice as she spoke.

“Y-You will leave me and Celestia alone.”

The King stood back up like he was weightless, digging his hind legs into the dirt to act as leverage pulling the rest of his body to his hooves, the same ghoulish smile stapled to his face as he shook his head.

“Chrysalis, Chrysalis, Chrysalis... what ever happened to us?”

“There was never an _us._ ”

A pop of electricity reverberated through the air.

To the average layman, Scythe would have appeared to remain coolly detached in the face of the sharp riposte, but oh no, to someone as experienced in the ways of Scythe as Chrysalis was, the slight, nigh-imperceptible twinge at the edge of his mouth was just as gratifying as seeing him run away with his tail between his legs. It was like the blow against an armor someone very self-certain had spent their entire life polishing to a fine sheen.

Another pop could be heard as Scythe began to walk towards her.

“You know... the boys back home are kind of wondering why you're so enamored with this plane…” He cracked his neck as his smile grew ever more wide and thin, more popping following in his wake. “There's plenty to eat around, sure, but it's just so _boring!_ And the travel time? You're lucky a King would bother to make a trip from the Feywild at ALL. Y'know, you should really be a little more grateful that I-”

Scythe went to grab Chrysalis by the shoulder and found himself reaching for empty air, Chrysalis seeming to disappear and reappear behind him, grabbing him by his outstretched foreleg, twisting it backwards into a hold, and slamming his face against the wall, her free leg spearing into his back. 

“You think I should be _GRATEFUL?_ ” She shouted into his ear, a mixture of fear and anger and hysterical disbelief. “Not only did you MASQUERADE as Stinger in an attempt to MANIPULATE me, you tried to turn Antenna AGAINST me, you appear to have been FOLLOWING me, and I would be in the right to suspect you tried to ASSASSINATE me! What ELSE have you COMPROMISED? Who have you POISONED?”

Her anger was like a wave of heat shooting out of her, the deep green wall of moss singing ever so slightly with rot, her body beginning to produce a frustrated chittering noise. Despite the cold, dirty brick pressing into the side of his face, Scythe still managed to twist his head and shoot her a grim smile.

“Heh. L-Like you ever had your Hive in line without a _King_ to _sort 'em out._ What I don't get is why you seem to think that's all MY f-”

Chrysalis twisted harder, seeming to not feel the spines on Scythe's leg dig into her and begin to leave marks.

“You're pulling that move on ME? I have to laugh. Antenna's kidnapper had _green_ eyes.”

“O-Ooh. Sounds like someone's getting a little _excited._ Are we ignoring the fact that it's _your_ swarm with the green motif?”

“That…!” The energy drained from Chrysalis’ body and her hold slackened as she went momentarily cross-eyed. “Th… that doesn't change anything! I-It's only in certain angles of light your true color gets revealed, a-and…” 

Her grip found strength again.

“You could have modified your eye color on PURPOSE!”

Scythe laughed, unfazed.

“Is that all you got? Just face it, I ain't your bug… or, well, that's not true, is it? Poor phrasing, iridescent. What I'm trying to say is _you got no proof._ ” He said, and Chrysalis swore she could see every single gnarled fang in his wretched mouth. “In my opinion, seems like you're jumping at shadows. Maybe Stinger was right to warn you about Celestia after all...”

A jolt flashed across Chrysalis’ eye as a smothering smile grew across her face.

“Hmph. It seems you think the leg I hold is an _empty threat._ I have no proof? Then when did I mention Stinger warning me about ANYTHING?”

The alley turned darker as clouds blocked out the sun, and, for the first time since he had revealed himself, the fowl, gruesome, idiotic smile on Scythe's face disappeared. There was silence as he thought to himself, more pops of electricity going off all around them, then he smiled again.

“Wanna know the magic word of the day, Chrys?”

Chrysalis hissed in his ear.

“ _You don't get to call me th-_ ”

Scythe twisted the ball joint in his shoulder to escape her hold and face her proper.

“Nebula Haze.”

In an instant, everything changed.

Everything had flicked over to a pitch black, and Chrysalis could feel the sensation of cold stone pressing into her spine, highlighted by the gravity that had twisted 90 degrees and now weighed upon her chest. She would have been much more alarmed about the change in environment if she wasn't already distracted by her piercing headache.

However, the headache was not what woke her up. It was the sound of a familiar voice, both reassuring and mature, one she had somehow managed to grow quite fond of over the past year, that brought her back to reality, it's sweet, honeylike song fetching her from her disorientated state as it approached.

“Who put her in there? And for that matter, why is she STILL in there? Look, she's been hurt!”

A more subdued voice answered the first one, smaller and more commanding, the voice, Chrysalis thought, a branch of deadly nightshade might speak with.

“She's been put in there for a reason, I presume, but if it wasn't US who did it… then what reason could that be?”

Snapping her eyes open, Chrysalis was blinded by a light attached to the stone ceiling and she shouted in pain, covering her face reflexively.

“Ah, sleepyhead’s awake. Mind telling us what's happened?”

That's Kibitz.

Rolling to her side and propping herself up with a hoof, Chrysalis saw Celestia, Luna, and Kibitz looking at her from the other side of a jail cell. Celestia was pressed against the set of steel bars so hard she was in danger of breaking them down, but that wasn't what Chrysalis noticed first, because what she noticed first was, of course, Celestia's appearance.

Celestia was wearing the same dress from before, but, somehow, she seemed even more beautiful than the last time Chrysalis had seen her. She was certain she had never seen Celestia wearing that eye shadow before, and those earrings… why was Chrysalis suddenly able to say these things with such certainty?

In a feeble attempt to shake herself of the thought, Chrysalis coughed and struggled to get to her hooves, rolling onto her side but not getting much further.

“You -- oof -- ponies need to set up some anti-magic gates, or -- better yet! -- take this CONTEMPTIBLE necklace off. Because a certain King _Scythe_ paid me a visit at that IRRITATING clothing store in the form of one of Twilight's friends. The blithe clothier. I'd be looking for her right about now.”

Celestia's heart stopped. So many fears swirled in her mind then, jumping from piece of information to piece of information, but only one thing came out of her mouth, mumbled under her breath.

“One of your... suitors did this to you?”

Shooting past the Princess, Kibitz poked his head through the bars and cocked an eyebrow.

“Is that so? What's the necklace's key phrase, then?”

“ _Nebula Haze._ ” Chrysalis fired back with a growl, causing the three ponies to shudder in surprise. Seeing the snubbed look on Kibitz's face, Chrysalis giggled with glee. “Yes, you see now! And if you still doubt me, Celestia can take his repulsive form and you will find the markings I bear match his spines _perfectly._ ”

Unable to hold herself back any further, Celestia snatched a keyring off the wall and unlocked Chrysalis’ cell, swinging the door wide open just as soon as she heard the click of the lock. Luna, who seemed by far the most disturbed of the three, began to poke at her chin and pace in front of the cell.

“So he _did_ know the key phrase… but how did he... guess... m-my mother's name? I'm... forced to assume he spied on our meeting.” 

“It seems our culprit has slipped up.” Kibitz muttered, adjusting his bow tie in an attempt to save face. As he was saying that, Celestia bent down to Chrysalis’ level.

“Let me see that.” Celestia said, motioning for Chrysalis’ injured leg. Chrysalis withdrew out of reflex, made a conflicted face, then finally obliged, and Celestia gave a harrowed smile as she took the leg with care. “Thank you. I don't know... something doesn't seem right, Kibitz. Was this really an accident? Please stop moving.” 

The already-squirming Chrysalis only grew more restless.

“Hmph. Scythe is stupid enough to make a mistake like this. But I'll tell you one thing; he's NOT stupid enough to stay on this plane afterwards.”

“Planar travel, huh? Boy, that's asking for trouble. We’d be better off being more careful with our passwords! I guess you'll have to give me a few pointers on how anti-magic fields can be woven into structures, Chrysalis. There!”

Luckily, the wounds were only superficial. Finishing up her quick look over, Celestia stood and offered a hoof to help Chrysalis up. First Chrysalis looked at her hoof, looked up at her, then back at her hoof, and instead opted to hook onto Celestia's back and pull herself up, an action which caused Celestia to go stiff as a board.

“O-Okay, I-I guess that works too!” Celestia wobbled like a block of gelatin as Chrysalis continued to hold on despite finding solid footing. “Th-The simple fact of the matter is, though it may alarm the public, we _must_ go into high alert, and that's because…”

Celestia came back down to earth as she thought about what she was going to say next.  
“This is... serious. I cannot _understate_ how serious this is. If he's hurt an Equestrian citizen...”

Outside of the cell, Luna stomped the floor and whipped around.

“We put our hooves down. _Now._ ”

Kibitz nodded in agreement.

As Celestia walked out awkwardly but easily with Queen in tow, the statements of the sisters struck a chord with Chrysalis, like she didn't expect them to be on her side on this. She looked up at Celestia's oblivious, troubled face, then to her powerful body, which didn't seem to strain under Chrysalis’ weight at all.

And in that moment, a light bulb flicked to life in her mind, and she knew the solution to all of her problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I've trusted you've read the chapter before coming here and reading this note. Welcome to the Responsible Adult Gang, gang! You've been a real champ and I think you deserve to be rewarded for that. So here's the thing currently on my mind:
> 
> https://youtu.be/ZVUyyHYkBHk


	23. Stick & Move

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, sports fans! I kept writing and kept writing until this chapter felt done and I accidentally made it seven thousand words long. Oops. Talk about a... sports slam.
> 
> Could I have probably trimmed it down? No. Not really. Everything in this chapter is a homerun and very important. Please love them, and me.

“You believe everything that Princess says? What has SHE done to deserve that lately?”

The one thing Twilight Sparkle didn't like about becoming a Princess overnight was how differently everypony looked at her now. Her newfound level of stamina, her marked increase in magical power, her vague sense of possessing a higher status than before — it almost wasn't worth all of the unwanted attention. Between the second looks and drawn-out glances, it had only taken a couple of weeks for the “Princess experience” to lose its alluring shine.

So it was a truly odd occurrence indeed when she found herself wishing she were the center of attention this time. Twilight kept trying to keep her eyes forward on the road, but over and over she felt her eyes drawn towards the right, towards what must have been the most ungrateful pony she had ever seen. Well, beside Fluttershy's brother. Twilight felt like those two would get along well.

Because, of course, it was Blue Bird making a scene again. That guy seemed like he was everywhere these days, and, on top of that, he somehow managed to keep his vocal cords at top performance despite all the talking he liked to do. Chalk it up to the extra energy pegasuses seem to have.

Just then, he made another comment about how the Princesses kept too many secrets and the public deserved answers, then something pithy about Celestia Twilight didn't fully catch, because she had already began to seethe and scrunch her muzzle up out of frustration. She had half a mind to confront him then and there, in fact, but that's when the bright, pink face of Pinkie Pie flashed over her field of view.

“Twilight! Why are you lookin’ over there? Come on, that guy's a total quack!”

Half out of surprise, half out of sheer force of will, Twilight shook her head, snapping herself out of her hate-trance.

“Ugh! Sorry, Pinkie, I know. We've got more important things to do right now, anyway.” She said as she gave a determined snort and Pinkie Pie replied with a delighted bounce, the two finding newfound strength to continue their trek across Ponyville.

But even as they moved far away from the scene, the shadow of something Twilight couldn't quite identify lingered in the back of her mind like the poster of a blue pegasus taped to a mud-brick wall.

“Rarity! Applejack! Rainbow Dash!”

The doors of the Carousel Boutique flew open as Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie barged into its empty, lavender-tinted parlor with a single shout that bounced off the walls. In a rush, they looked around for signs of life, panic rising as their eyes lept between piece of furniture and piece of furniture only to find not a single soul in sight.

That was, of course, until they heard the sound of a very familiar Southern drawl.

“Hey, hey, hey! What in tarnation's up with all that racket?”

It wasn't long until Applejack appeared alongside Rainbow Dash, bursting out of the back rooms of the Boutique looking quite annoyed.

“Yeah, only WE get do that!”

Twilight let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the both of them, but she couldn't fully rest until she had finished the quest she had set out to perform. She opened her mouth to respond, but Pinkie Pie had different plans as she bolted in front of her and gave a shout.

“IS RARITY FOALNAPPED?”

Applejack's hat popped off as she recoiled in shock.

“ _What?_ ”

As Pinkie Pie reached for another gasp of air, Twilight maneuvered back in front of her and covered her mouth.

“Pinkie Pie, please, some delicacy! Sorry, girls. We're just here to find Rarity because, uh…” She searched for something to say, only to come back up with nothing but a nervous smile. “The Princess told us to?”

Darting closer, Rainbow Dash circled around the air above the two of them, a suspicious look in her eye.

“She happen to mention why?”

Somehow blinking out of Twilight's smothering reach, Pinkie Pie exploded out from behind Applejack with an explosion of confetti.

“Nope!”

“ _SHEESH!_ ”

“Pinkie!” Out of reflex, Twilight extended her wings to give chase, but found her energy leaving her body as she fell into a slump. “Oh, whatever. She's telling the truth. Celestia just... needs to know her whereabouts. For reasons.” 

With perfect synchronicity, Rainbow Dash and Applejack furrowed their brows and shot each other a funny look. When she would one day think back upon that day, the one thing Twilight would be able to say with total certainty was how much that single moment of concern stuck with her.

“Ma'am, listen to reason!”

There was one lesson Celestia had learned over her entire thousand-year tenure as Princess; Equestria didn't stop for anypony, and it didn't stop for her, either, a fact that made itself overwhelmingly clear as she found herself moving with a heightened pace down the halls of Canterlot castle.

“Just because you've been inconvenienced doesn't mean you can-”

That was when the ambassador she had been chasing stopped short and shot a silencing hoof up.

“Oh, I've heard enough! If this is how an Equestrian Princess handles her associates, then I don't care how badly she might need our _assistance._ ”

Celestia just managed to skid to a halt as she clenched her eyes, keeping her frustration from welling up inside her head. Repositioning herself, she took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

“I do not intend to disrespect you, miss, and if you insist upon keeping the meeting on the same date, then so be it. But I remain inflexible on the change of time. Earlier, later, whatever suits you. Just not that time.”

The ambassador narrowed her eyes at the Princess a second far too long before turning up her nose.

“Then we shall be seeing you _‘later’._ ”

Then she finally left.

Celestia made certain she was far out of earshot before shaking her head and giving a sigh.

“Of all the times to be accosted by a Trottingham ambassador… ah well.”

She found herself again free to go her way, unabated by intervening citizens, but Celestia found little comfort in her newfound solitude. In the silence of the castle, she couldn't help but listen as that familiar, bittersweet yearning spoke to her loud and troubling and clear again, every atom in her mind committed to thinking about things she'd rather not. 

There was little else to do but try to escape, and Celestia found herself able to maintain a motivated pace as she navigated backwards to find the door she had originally intended to enter. But, just as she tried to enter it, a yellow object moved in the corner of her vision, and she spun around only to find nothing was there. Huh. Trying to not think about it, she pushed into the room.

There was a cold chill on the air filtering in from the nearby window, tinted by a hint of Spring warmth; the sprawled out map of Equestria and her neighbors would have fluttered away were it not for the dozens of pins set into it, different colors of thread connecting them in meaning. Curiously, out of them all, a single thread was a shade of bright crimson, stretching across much of the map to connect a purple pin set in Canterlot and a green one stuck directly over the Hive.

And above it all, Kibitz, like always, lurked nearby, wandering the perimeter of the table and wielding a quill with precision to jot notes down as he scanned the territory with his old, bespectacled eyes. He didn't seem to notice Celestia enter the room, but Luna did, closing her book and standing from her seat near the door.

“Celestia! There you are.”

“Indeed, Luna. Any word back yet on Rarity?” 

Luna gave a sullen look, like she wished she could say anything else besides what she was about to say.

“No. Twilight is still searching.”

At the mention of her pupil's name, Celestia sighed.

“Ah. I really did _not_ want to get her involved, but it's been almost a day and we STILL haven't found anything…” She said, approaching the table and placing down her things. Then she tapped the wood and turned around, shoving a smile onto her face. “But let's not give in to despair! Twilight and her friends know Rarity better than all of us combined. And those girls are the kind to always pull through in the end.”

Luna tried to nod but it came out more like a shrug instead, and that was when Kibitz finally acknowledged Celestia, storing his notes and adjusting his glasses as he gave an untrustworthy smile that rivaled hers.

“Princess! There you are.”

One of Celestia's eyebrows began to float up.

“Indeed… Kibitz.”

“Today’s a special occasion, you know! Today marks 5 weeks since the start of your little project. By all accounts, given things go well today, I think it's fair to say the famine is being handled!” He said, running his hoof along the table surface, his phony smile revealing itself for the smirk that it really was. “So, surely, you've run out of excuses to stay Chrysalis’ punishment? It would be a show of good faith, you know… for what's to come.”

In that moment, the faint sizzle creeping up the back of Celestia's neck resurfaced. Despite the predictability of his turn, she couldn't help but bristle at her advisor, pressing on the table to restrict her reaction. 

“I know, Kibitz. I've got it under control.”

Kibitz suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

“Of course. Of course.”

Just then, a timid knock came from the door, so quiet and so subtle only Luna could hear it, and she jumped to her hooves to poke her head outside. The sound of conversation could be heard, and it wasn't long until Luna pulled her head back in, a newfound frown on her face.

“Celestia doesn't bite, you know. Okay. I know, tell her I said hi too. Thank you.” She said, nearly cutting herself off as she closed the door and sauntered over to join the others at the table. “Fluttershy received Spike's signal, and the statement has been corroborated by local guards. Rarity is safe and secure visiting family.”

Easing up the pressure she had placed on the table, Celestia snapped out of her trance and shot around, surprise painted on her face.

“Oh! Good. Good. Stars know I need the good news today...” She said under her breath, her mind finally free to move on to the next point on her daily agenda, causing her to glance up at the clock and the bittersweet yearning in her chest to swell. “Conveniently, I've got to go soon. Hopefully this is a sign our luck is changing for the better.”

It took all of the self-restraint she had to not immediately break into a sprint, and she nearly barreled over as Luna cut in front of her and gave her a worried look.

“Take care, sister.”

For a moment, Celestia was at a loss for words, and all she could think to do was reply with a nod.

“You too, sister.”

After a quick hug, Celestia stepped around Luna and left the room, excitement and apprehension on her heels.

The meeting place was at the back entrance of the castle, in front of a gate sheltered underneath an arch of brick, facing out to a stone path that led deeper into the mountainside. A trio of guards stood nearby as a duo of stone workers chiseled away at the stone of the gate, retrieving expertly-cut chunks of obsidian to set into the structure. There was a sleepy sense of rhythm to the scene — a comforting regularity to the sound of chipping and clink of rock fitting together.

Without realizing it, the Princess was stepping so lightly she nearly floated off the ground, her hoofstep not making any noise as she went. However, even if she was trying to, Celestia couldn't sneak up on Chrysalis anymore; beside the blundering pair of guards that followed her wherever she went, Celestia's passion lent her an eminence that couldn't be ignored, no matter what lengths she went to suppress it. And these days, the approach of Celestia's affections set a hidden giddiness through the Queen. 

But, despite all that, Chrysalis still jumped as the iron bars behind her clattered to life and revealed Celestia, blundering pair of guards in tow.

“Greetings, Chrysalis.” She said, causing one of Chrysalis’ eyes to twitch as the Queen began to approach low to the ground.

“You need to work on that obsidian you retrieved from my throne some more, it doesn't completely negate my magic yet. Have you found that troublesome pony?”

“Oh, yeah! We did! Twilight had things handled, as usual.” Celestia said, hopping with a skip in her step that disintegrated as she passed under the castle gate and looked Chrysalis in the eye. Celestia could feel herself sweat as she tried to continue talking. “And I, uh… well... hate to be the bearer of bad news, but... i-it seems next Thursday is going to be a bit of a nightmare. And when _I'm_ saying that, you know it's serious.”

A chill set in Chrysalis’ body.

“I-I see...” She muttered, eyes scanning the ground then returning to Celestia. “I was going to bring the grubs that day.”

The sensation of rocks landing on Celestia's already-heavy chest struck her so hard she felt like it might crush her, but she tightened her jaw and powered through the distress. She wanted to reach out and comfort the obviously disappointed Queen, but thought against it at the last moment, her hoof twitching slightly.

“I know, but... try not to worry. I'll find the time for you guys, okay? Just be warned our situation is going to be difficult to manage for now, but we'll figure it out.” She wandered out of the shade of the arch and let the cool mountain air pass over her, and, before she knew it, she was pacing again. “It's just… we have to put time between the gates going up, and the truce announcement, and preparing for the ball, all the while finding time for the project, and capturing Scythe, or else we'll… we’ll...”

Celestia's throat locked up as she stared far into the mountain ranges behind Canterlot. There was so much more she needed to say, but she just couldn't find the energy within her to say it, and, in its place, a quiet guilt found itself take Celestia. There had to be a way out of this conversation, a way to take it back and pretend she didn't just say...

“We’ll what?”

Then Celestia came crashing back down to earth. Turning with the glacial speed of a grounded comet, her face flushed pink as she saw Chrysalis squinting at her, standing just an inch away from her face. To make matters worse, Chrysalis eyed her up and down with a paced deliberance, scouring her for the telltale signs of tension, and her pupils became sharp slits.

“Celestia. You're hiding something again, aren't you?”

Haunting as it was, Chrysalis’ voice gave Celestia butterflies.

“N-No. I’m not.” She said, tensing her face up, which only caused Chrysalis to tilt her head and peer into Celestia's eyes further, which only caused the Princess to wince and pull further away.

And in that moment, for a split-second, it was like Chrysalis was looking into a mirror; without having to say anything, with nothing but a few gestures, Celestia was telling her exactly what was wrong and in what ways it exactly hurt her, imbuing Chrysalis with an exact sympathy for that pain, building up inside her until she thought she might explode.

“You're going to die like this.”

It all happened so fast. Neither of them really registered it at first; Chrysalis’ leg had looped in with Celestia's before she could stop it, and the sentence was out of her mouth before she could delay it. There was truly no taking it back now.

“Ch… Chr…?”

By the time she realized what was happening, Celestia's blush had amplified into a bright crimson. That's when Chrysalis took pause, thought about her current situation for a moment, looked down to fully realize what she had just done, and snapped away with a yelp, breaking contact between the two of them. 

So that was how they found themselves in this situation, two mares standing exactly five feet away from each other, blinking in bewilderment. 

Salvage this, Chrysalis, salvage this. You can do it.

“D-Do you know what I do for fun?”

Oh no. You can't do it.

Still taken aback, Celestia tilted her head in curiosity.

“Does… does it…” Her shoulders pressed into her neck. “Involve coating one’s self in mud?”

Chrysalis shot Celestia a shocked, scandalized look.

“NO? Wh- _NO?_ ” She threw her mane aside with a huff. “I'll have you know that's THERAPEUTIC.”

“Really? Huh. You'll have to show me sometime.”

Chrysalis’ hearts began to beat out of her chest and she spun away before it could get any worse.

“ _E-ENOUGH OF THAT!_ L-Look, are we going to get this cultural exchange pony ambassadors thing out of the way or not? We've been talking about this stupid plan for a MONTH now.”

After being down for so long, Celestia's ears finally perked back up.

“Cultural exchange, you say?” She picked her head up, rolled her eyes around in thought, then beamed at Chrysalis. “I think I like the ring of that. It's so marketable! Ah, I'll go see if everypony is ready!”

The princess began to prance, hopping with an earnest skip in her step this time. Against her better judgment, Chrysalis peaked at Celestia with a single eye, and, beholding her excitement, quickly began to sweat. Time and time again, why did Celestia's happiness bring her such a sickening joy? 

The question troubled her as Celestia dashed off to fetch her ambassadors-in-training, and Chrysalis felt weak-kneed as she thought long and hard about what it was she planning to do.

“Greetings, ambassadors! Ready to meet a foreign nation?”

They were like no ambassador she had ever seen before. A small group gathered from the loose ends of her staff, ranging between the good at heart and the generally bored, Celestia had this weird feeling in her gut looking at them, feeling like she had her work cut out for her.

A young mare at the front raised a hoof.

“Is there anything we should, like... know?”

Celestia bounced with joy.

“Good question! Well, I've been doing this pretty much on my own for a month now, and I'm not experiencing any adverse effects, so…” She shrugged. “As long as you're supportive and don't make any sudden movements, you should be okay!”

A gust of wind blew past. The mare blinked once.

“Sudden movements.”

“Yeah, well, I've simply found changelings are paranoid down to their buggy cores, so... just keep in mind they can be fragile little things. Anything else anypony would like to know?” Celestia said, shuffling in place as she scanned her eyes around the group. When it became clear there would be no more questions, she gave an exuberant nod. “Alright! I gotta say, it's a load off my back to have assistants now! Let's go say hi!”

Then she spun around and took their first step into the wastes.

It was far in the distance when Chrysalis could see the blotch of ponies crest over the horizon, and it was then she could feel apprehensive needles running up the length of her neck. Turning around, she faced her own group of hoof-selected changelings standing in the entrance to the Hive and picked out Chitin with a point of her hoof.

“Messenger. I have a message for you.”

The needles got worse as Celestia's band arrived at her doorstep. 

There was that ominous moment that always occurred when two groups met face-to-face, in a way, for the first time. In that instance, two different kinds of apprehension grasped them — the kind of tension the citizens felt and the kind the leaders felt. 

But none of this was new to Celestia, so it was no wonder when she was the first one to speak.

“Goodness. Look at all this…” She said, beginning the long trek across the gap separating the two parties. “Looks like everyp… every _creature_ is here.”

Even as Celestia walked directly towards her, Chrysalis remained in her staunched pose, unable to maintain eye contact.

“Indeed.” She said, shooting a look over her own group then around at Celestia's. Without thinking about it, Celestia mirrored her to look over at the Hive, and that was when she noticed movement behind Chrysalis’ legs. Looking down, Celestia jumped as she found a juvenile changeling hiding there.

“Oh!” She exclaimed, giving a second look. Celestia was struck with this odd certainty she recognized this juvenile, and she gave them the brightest, most cheery smile she could muster. “Hi there!”

Ocellus didn't move a muscle, opting to instead continue staring at her from behind Chrysalis’ hindleg. Celestia narrowed her eyes.

_Huh._

Before she could try anything else, the body they had been maneuvering around shifted as a baffled Chrysalis began to follow them.

“Celestia, what are you doing back th-”

She felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning to look at the source, standing there was one of Celestia's guards, glaring at her.

“Remember Vanhoover?” He said under a whisper. She tilted her head in response, which only made him glare harder. “You're lucky I'm not the one in charge.”

Then it hit her what this stallion was talking about. She began to curl up her lips and bare her fangs at him, but that's when she noticed the rest of Celestia's group standing at a distance behind him. Chrysalis squinted to see them more clearly, only to realize something all of their expressions had in common; even though they were all different, some sad, some angry, some cold, they all shared this same unquantifiable, unapproachable aura.

And that aura was pointed directly at her.

Out of reflex, she sneered at them and bent around, unable to stand the scrutiny any further, and saw Celestia greeting her changelings. They were in better health than they'd been in recent months, but Chrysalis could still spot the signs of weariness on their faces, something that only worsened the newfound, terrible sense of heaviness in her body, a feeling like she was being drowned.

And that's when she was certain she had to take action, and she had to take it now.

“Come with me. It's important.” 

Celestia ceased recounting the descriptions of her favorite civic laws when she heard a voice come from behind her, and, when she turned and saw it was Chrysalis, she gave her a funny look.

“What? Right now?”

They stared at each other until Chrysalis ran out of patience and huffed.

“I do all the stuff _you_ want to do.”

And that was all it took for the Princess’ resolve to fold under Chrysalis’ pouty assault, waving a hoof in submission.

“Okay, okay, if you say so, Chrysalis! But we can't leave these two groups unattended for too long, alright?”

A mysterious glint appeared in Chrysalis’ eyes.

“Oh… _I_ wouldn't worry about _that._ ”

The sun beat down on the wastes of the Unnamed Territory, rays of light reaching out to a land that simply couldn't and wouldn't respond. Deep within these wastes, there existed a perfect circle brushed out of the grains of lifeless sand, four short spires of hewn obsidian marking out its perimeter. A series of fresh hoofprints snaked towards this peculiar landmark, winding through the white desert as a pair, intertwined, inching ever closer and closer to it's ominous destination.

And Celestia was sweating, but it wasn't from the heat.

_This is fine. I can be friends with Chrysalis. It's fine! It doesn't have to be weird. I'm fine._

Just then they approached the edge of the ring, and Chrysalis stopped and turned sharply enough that Celestia nearly ran into her, resulting in the two standing face-to-face. Feeling Chrysalis’ steely eyes stare her down as the Queen grabbed her shoulder, Celestia bit her lower lip.

_Oh no. It's weird._

“Don't panic.”

“What?”

Chrysalis shoved Celestia behind an obsidian pillar as a trio of emerald flames erupted inside the arena, raising a wail that caused the Princess to leap out of her hide. As the embers cleared, Pharynx, Stinger, and Chitin appeared in their places, the former in an apprehensive hunch, the second already kneeling, and the last tossing around a fungal lantern.

“My Queen! I've done what you've asked of me!” Chitin said, ears pointed straight up, tossing her the fungus.

Catching it, a devious grin coiled around Chrysalis’ mouth as she looked the three of them over and stepped into the ring, it's obsidian pillars turning a dark shade of green.

“Indeed you have. You may proceed to my second task, now.” She said, to which Chitin nodded and disappeared in another spark of flame as she gave the others a glance. “You two know why you are here, yes?”

Stinger picked his head up to respond, but, before the words were out of his mouth, Pharynx shoved him aside in a burst of excitement.

“Yeah!” He said, getting low to the ground and shaking his tail. “We're playing Contest the Queen, right? Is this another special one-on-one training session or WHAT?”

Just then, four pole-shaped shards snapped out of the pillars, the revealed weapons slowly spiraling around the arena.

“You are... loosely correct.” Chrysalis said, pointing a hoof up towards the sky. “Today, I'm going to finally show you how we can _trust._ For I shall play the role of Queen, you two will be Team Thieves, and Team Patrol will be lead by…”

Celestia, at that moment, saw something appear in the distance. As time passed, the shape only grew and grew, grew until she was suddenly quite certain what it was, causing her eyes to go wide.

“Princess CELESTIA!”

It was officially time to start panicking.

Tearing her eyes away from the approaching object, Celestia fought off the fear in her body to answer Chrysalis’ beckoning call, leaning out from her hiding spot and giving the trio a nervous wave.

“H-Hi, everypony! Looks like we're gonna-”

Not missing a beat, Pharynx hissed at her and wound up into a charge, only to be cut off just has he lept when Chrysalis snatched him up with a web of magic energy.

“STOP. We are NOT doing that. NOT to HER. Stinger, YOU would do well to heed my words as well.” She said, dangling Pharynx in front of her face like a little doll. “Know that I only tolerate your deceit for the sake of the ponies’ IMPRESSION of us.”

He growled at her, unfazed by tumbling through the air.

“Sounds like another reason the ponies SUCK to me.”

Chrysalis cocked an eyebrow.

“Do you wish to participate or not?”

Pharynx fell silent. Stinger got to his hooves, shaking his head.

“I don't know what happened in our lives that led us to this point...” He said, firing a razor sharp glare at the stone-rigid Celestia. “Ah, of course. Hm… perhaps this could be a catharsis, brother.”

“Y-Yeah. Good point. Fine.” Pharynx gulped as Chrysalis placed him back on the ground and, for a moment, the world tumbled around him. She raised an eyebrow at the two of them and cleared her throat.

“As I was _saying._ Celestia. Get over here.” 

With a shiver, Celestia jolted back to life and tiptoed into the ring.

“Y-Yes, I'm here! Uh… what am I doing?”

That mysterious glint appeared in Chrysalis’ eye again as she looked past Celestia and gestured with a nod of her head.

“Helping me with a... little scheme of mine.”

“Huh?” Celestia tilted her head in confusion and whipped around, only for the scene she witnessed there to cause her eyebrows to pop up in surprise. “Oh!”

In that moment, a lot of odd little things made much more sense to Celestia. Standing there before her, she saw, in two discrete little groupings, the pony ambassadors-in-training and Chrysalis’ hoof-selected changelings, their little leader right at the front, standing tall and proud and exuberant, the one and only messenger Chitin.

“That's part two done, my Queen!”

Celestia stood there wearing a sort of stunned smile. It's incredible, she thought, how such a small sentiment could lead to something so big.

“I will only say this ONCE. If you don't catch it all, then you better HOPE one of your neighbors is feeling _friendly_ today.”

Something about explaining things to an enraptured audience always satisfied Chrysalis. Even if the audience this time was half-composed of eye-burningly colorful ponies. The perimeter of the arena was just wide enough for each member of the audience to get a front-row seat, but she wasn't sure how to feel about both groups bunching together on opposite sides from each other, firing odd looks across the stage.

No matter, Chrysalis thought, foisting a bioluminescent fungus above her head. She supposed that's why they were in this situation in the first place.

“The goal of this exercise is to capture the designated Queen by being the last one to touch her when this lamp falls to the ground. Control begins with Team Patrol, but Team Thieves gets to throw the lamp. I, appropriately, will stand in as Queen today.” She said, plucking one of the poles from the air and patrolling the arena perimeter, looking each member of the audience in the eye. “This is not a simple test of brute strength; one must _outwit_ one's opponent as much as one _overpowers_ them. What do you make of this, Princess Celestia?”

She shot her attention to Celestia at the edge of stage and the Princess jumped.

“Oh, me! Well… if I am being honest, a round of sporting competition was not what I was expecting, but I am excited nonetheless! I look forward to us ponies participating in this changeling tradition known as ‘Contest the Queens’. Right, everypony?”

She waved at her group of ambassadors and they looked at each other, shrugged, then replied with a hesitant cheer. That was when Chrysalis faced the other two competitors, the still-disgruntled Pharynx and Stinger, and threw up a hoof.

“Team Thieves, Celestia will be facing the both of you today as Team Patrol… ALONE!”

“ _What?_ ”

The rest of the changelings gave a rallying cry, drowning out Celestia's exclamation of shock. Before she could protest any further, Chrysalis grabbed Celestia by a foreleg, shoved an obsidian pole flat against her chest, and pulled her in close to whisper in her ear.

“Look out for Pharynx, he's a devoted one. Emotional appeals won't work. Convince him you'll protect the Hive and you're in. Now, Stinger is a hard one to read. He demands your respect. Just keep him talking and he'll slip up.” 

The information found trouble registering itself upon Celestia, who was currently in the middle of beginning to sweat as she felt Chrysalis’ lukewarm breath upon her neck. Catching herself, Celestia was forced to blink off the desire before she could make heads or tails of the advice and nod.

“O-Okay...! Yeah... yeah! I, a Princess… can handle this task!”

Chrysalis grinned and gave Celestia's shoulder a proud shake. Acting in unison, Chrysalis broke away to pass out the other weapons and the lamp, and Celestia strolled to the center of the arena with an off-kilter bounce in her step, playing up her entrance by spinning the pole around in front of her and inspecting it.

“Hmm… personally, I prefer the rapier, but I suppose a weapon is a weapon… there's use for a non-lethal one, too...” She held one end of the pole up in front of her eye, the other facing away from her, and wobbled it slightly. “Seems well-balanced… even for a practice weapon, there's a craftsmanship here… oh, pleasure meeting you two! It seems-”

A cracking noise ripped through the air as the lamp rocketed straight up and disappeared in the sky.

“Talk is for freshly-hatched larva, LOSER!”

With a single, leaping strike, Pharynx closed the distance between him and Celestia and connected with the base of her neck, landing such a solid hit his pole shattered against her hide and flung off, causing the ponies to gasp and the changelings to holler. 

Celestia, however, had a different reaction.

“Oh, ha, wow, nice one! But is your target not your matriarch?”

“Shut UP, you can't trick ME!” Pharynx spat as he picked up the shattered pieces of his weapon and dashed backwards. “Stinger, what are you-”

He went to elbow his team member, but was shocked to find air. Sure enough, when Pharynx turned to look, he found Stinger had disappeared without a trace.

“B-Bro...?”

“Eyes on the prize, Pharynx.”

The crowd began to rumble and convulse as a calm, collected voice emanated from behind Celestia, drawing the attention of both her and Pharynx around to Stinger, who had emerged from beneath Chrysalis’ shadow, hoof pressed into her shoulder. Impressed, Celestia gave a laugh and shook her head.

“Ha! Gee, you two play hardball. Were you not going to say anything, Chrysalis?”

“Oh, I'm a neutral party in all this. The more difficult I am the better.”

As the royal pair conversed, off in the distance, Pharynx braced himself down for another pounce when Celestia turned her head sideways and gave Chrysalis a mischievous grin.

“Really, now…? Then I'd brace yourself, Miss ‘Neutral Party’.”

“Huh?”

Like that, Celestia disappeared in a flash of yellow light, leaving Pharynx lunging directly into empty space and landing face-first in the sand. The next thing Chrysalis knew, she felt the odd sensation of being lifted off the ground, then the familiar feeling of pressing into Celestia's coat, then the jarring experience of shooting directly upwards.

“C-C-C-C-”

They were already flying before she could say it.

“CELESTIAAA!!!!!”

“This is your captain speaking…” Celestia said, talking into her hoof and whipping through the air. “Here to warn you to strap in and get ready for some _turbulence._ ”

The crowd loved it.

Every creature was caught up in the cheering and the hollering, rattled by the sharp uptick in the action, but Stinger and Pharynx didn't seem fazed at all. Even as everything around them was exploding, they simply shot each other a glance and scoffed.

“Sky battles?”

“That's a mistake.”

Then, in unison, they shot into the air after Celestia, giving chase. Now fully enraptured, the crowd gasped in awe as the combatants sliced through the air just above them and Chrysalis held on for dear life, suddenly regretting everything she'd done that day as she wailed like a banshee.

“NEVER AGAIN! YOU HEAR ME? _NEVER AGAIN!_ ” She shouted, bearing down on an iron grip that would have choked anyone else except Celestia, who was currently bursting with laughter.

“C'mon, this is so much fun! You could just let go, you know.”

A dumbfounded expression struck Chrysalis while wind whistled past her ears. For whatever reason, she hadn't considered Celestia's suggestion until just then, but before she could dissect just why that was, Pharynx had cut under and in front of them, halting to a dead stop in the air.

“Okay, enough of this!”

In the blink of an eye, Pharynx flashed green one second then was a massive, black dragon the next, creating a drastic shift in air pressure that sent out a blustering shockwave, whipping up sand, jostling members of the audience, and sending the royal pair scattering backwards and apart. Stinger was there waiting to catch Chrysalis, having already shifted into the form of a bloated, balloon-like air fish and serving as the perfect cushion for her landing. Regardless, Chrysalis still released a pitiful whine as she impacted him.

“Augh!”

Falling to the ground, Stinger unshifted and placed her down as gently as he could, hovering over his dazed Queen.

“Your lowness, that was NOT my idea! Was that too rough?”

“Quit groveling. Where is Celestia?”

Celestia wasn't nearly as lucky. 

The audience had fallen silent, all of their eyes focused on the crater that was Celestia's point of collision. Propping herself back up, a chill ran through her body as Chrysalis laid her eyes upon Celestia's broken form, and she felt her throat close up as she stood faster than her body could move, stumbled faster than her legs could carry her, and soon everyone else was following her as she fell to Celestia's side in a mess.

“C-Celestia? Say something. Are you okay?”

The body of Celestia began to cough as she felt Chrysalis touching her forehead, summoning her spirit back to the mortal realm. Finally, Celestia stirred back to life, picking her head up off the ground.

“Oh, goodness. Yeah, I just think… I'm a little winded. Give me a second. Phew.” She said, her eyes popping open, resting on Chrysalis’ worried face for a moment before scanning the rest of the crowd gathered around her. “You know, I just... really wanted to bring every creature together, because I know how scary this might be for all of you right now. My only hope is… some of you made connections today. That our nations may be a little closer for this.”

“You don't have to keep talking, Celestia. It's okay.” Chrysalis said, running a hoof through Celestia's mane as she bent around. “Can one of you go get HELP or something?”

Celestia tugged at her.

“No, wait, I… I think this is helping. It's getting my mind off of the… you know. Is it okay if we keep talking?” Celestia said, looking to everyone for approval, and they started to nod, Chrysalis by far the most.

“Of course.”

“Thanks. You guys are the sweetest.” Celestia looked far in the back, catching eyes with Stinger and furrowing her brow. “You know, I've always wanted to know… you guys can shape-shift, yet you all choose the same form. Why is that?”

Everyone turned to look at him, and Stinger's eye twitched.

“Well, its... strategic. Ignoring the fact that we would need to exert ourselves to maintain other forms, the enemy finds an organized front more intimidating.” He said, flicking his head between his kin. “Any one of us could tell you that.”

The other changelings nodded to confirm, and even Chrysalis gave a satisfactory tilt of her head. Celestia grinned weakly.

“Ah. So why does he look different, then?” She said, pointing past the crowd and at the single figure who had not immediately ran to Celestia's side, the dejected form of a changeling standing at the ring’s edge with his back to the scene. “Pharynx is the only changeling in your Hive I've seen that looks like that.”

She felt a nudge on her shoulder as Chrysalis leaned in.

“He's on patrol duty, so it matters less.” She said, whispering into Celestia's ear and sending that same chill from before through the Princess’ body. “I also told you to your FACE I've been testing him for worth as a potential King. Are you going to keep playing this up, Celestia, or can we just go get help?”

“Honestly? I'm already starting to feel a lot better. I appreciate everyone giving me the time to gather myself again. All I can really say is…” Celestia stuck her tongue out in Chrysalis’ face and grabbed her by the leg. “Gotcha.”

With an unceremonious thud, the bioluminescent lamp landed on the ground.

Everyone's heads wheeled around to the sound, turning to stone with jaws agape. Not even the wind rushing past made a sound in that decisive moment, and the first thing to break the stunned silence was Celestia jumping to her hooves with a cheer, running over to prance at the glowing fungus.

“I can't believe that WORKED! Oh, we are going to have to GO somewhere to celebrate this, everyone!” She said, turning around and getting rushed by what was originally meant to be her ambassadors-in-training now turned into cheering fans, leaving the losing team of still-paralyzed changelings at the crater. Spinning around, Celestia realized Pharynx was still standing in the spot he was before, except he was now facing the commotion with soulless eyes. Putting on a wistful smile, she reached out a hoof to him in a peaceful gesture. “No hard feelings, kid?”

“CELESTIA!”

Whipping back around AGAIN, Celestia saw Chrysalis stomping past the cheering ponies, steam practically shooting out of her ears. An odd impulse took Celestia, and she threw her mane aside with a cock of her head.

“Well? How was that?”

Chrysalis shoved her chest, not too hard but not too light.

“You were supposed to put up a _FIGHT_ , not _IMPRESS me!_ ”

“Ah-ha, so that's what this was, villainess! You should have told me we were _foalsitting._ ” Celestia said with a smirk that caused a flush to hit Chrysalis.

“I-I don't know what you're talking about!” She said with a pout, turning away to look at the dejected Stinger and Pharynx in an attempt to save face. “Soldiers! Your performances were satisfactory. Even if we have joined forces with the obviously quite… _tenacious_ ponies this day, the Hive will still have its enemies to remain ever-prepared against. Steel yourselves, and be ready for a new day tomorrow.”

Celestia walked up next to her and gave a bow.

“Yes, excellent work, you two! I can see you’re both well-trained. I believe our kingdoms will make for excellent al-”

“You got lucky.” Pharynx said as he shoulder-checked Celestia and left the ring in a hurry in an action that set the cheering ponies quiet. Stinger, unlike his compatriot, lingered there, staring her in the eye.

“If you hurt my Queen, you'll regret it.” He looked at the white sand for a moment then remade eye contact. “That's all I have to say.”

With that, he disappeared in a ball of flame, a handful of changelings and Celestia's ardor leaving with him. She turned on the spot, feeling the wind whistle through her ears as she looked over the remainder of her audience.

“I suppose… we’re done for now, everypony. This'll probably the most eventful a first day will ever be for you. Let's get organized to go home.”

Everyone replied with a nod touched by apprehension. Celestia, satisfied, wandered toward the edge of the ring, where Chrysalis followed close behind, ambushing her at one of the pillars.

“You're really okay, right?” She said, trying to form eye contact but failing as Celestia looked away.

“Yeah, promise. You know firsthoof how durable I can be.” She said, putting on a guilty smile. Hearing that, Chrysalis felt a knot in her chest she had not previously noticed untwist. What an odd feeling that was. She was prevented from considering it further, however, when Celestia put on a frown. “You know, if I have to be honest… I don't know what to make of any of this. I can't tell if we made any progress between our kingdoms today or not.”

At that, she gestured over to the neatly separated gathering of civilians, wandering aimlessly without the guidance of their monarchy. Chrysalis gave a stressed smile.

“Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. They'll come around now that they know you.” She said as she watched a pony give a reluctant wave to one of her changelings, sighing to herself. “Stubbornness is just in the blood, I suppose.” 

Celestia replied with a warm smile and an elbow to the shoulder.

“Kids, huh?”

“... I don't understand what you mean.”

“Well, you made them, right? They're your foals.”

“I’m just going to ask. What is a foal?”

“It's what us ponies call our offspring, Chrysalis.”

Chrysalis winced.

“Whatever.”

“You're telling me you've gone this far without knowing that?” She said, trying and failing to stifle a chuckle. “Chrysalis, you're quite th-”

Sweeping the both of them behind a pillar, Chrysalis hooked into one of Celestia’s forelegs and pulled her in close.

“Why won't you call me Chrys?”

It wasn't until then, when Celestia's heart started vibrating, she realized just how scorching hot it was that day. It was a point of particular oddity, because not once had the sun ever bothered Celestia before, and yet here she was, steam rising out of her collar as she chuckled nervously.

“I, ah… feel like you're giving me mixed signals, here, ma'am.”

“Is it something I said?”

Celestia's eyes began to dart around the desert. The sun had gotten a WHOLE lot hotter just then. Weird.

“I just, it'd… it'd only get me worked up if I started calling you that again! We’d be a lot better off if I didn't.” She forced herself to look back at Chrysalis, who was still holding on with an iron grip. “B-But if you want me to, I…”

A snag caught them in the middle of their conversation, and they stared at each other in silence.

Want.

There were so many things she wanted. If Celestia was talking about want, Chrysalis could pour herself out for days. Wring her hearts out until she passed out from exhaustion and still have more to say.

But she didn't, and she wouldn't, and they stared at each other in silence, rays of heat almost making an audible sizzle as they rose off the white sand beneath them. In a certain time, they might have stayed that way forever, as much as it hurt. 

But it was not that time.

Gripped with a sense of urgency, Chrysalis tore herself away from Celestia and stared down at the grains beneath their hooves. 

“I should… we should… deal with… this.” She said, to which Celestia perked up until she realized Chrysalis had started looking at the group. It wasn't long before she followed her line of sight, leaving Celestia behind in the dark shade of the obsidian pillar, alone.

Despite feeling like shattered glass, Celestia stood completely still as if nothing had changed, like their exchange had never taken place. She couldn't help but laugh to herself, looking up at the sky, to the sun that bothered her just a minute ago, shaking her head. There was only one thing on her mind then.

“I don't know what to make of any of this.”


	24. Set & Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, audience… this might be a, uh, weird question, but do you ever get this feeling like... somebody's watching you?
> 
> Then again, I have an anxiety disorder, so don't listen to me. I honestly get that feeling all the time, so, you know, take that with a grain of salt. But personally, I would not turn around right now. I would not turn around and look out your window. Bye!

The click of a door unlocking filled the empty air.

“This better be important, missy. It's midterms week at the school and I woke up a couple minutes late.”

“I wouldn't be bothering you if this wasn't important, Princess.”

The surveillance room was pitch black like a chunk of the castle had been cut out, the only thing illuminating it being the soft, blue glow radiating off its far wall. Moving closer, one could see dozens of panels decorating the stone surface, each as perfectly flat and smooth as the last, humming with energy as different scenes from around the castle gave live feedback.

Celestia stood at the doorway, trace amounts of apprehension in her stance, as she watched one of her security wizards approach the constructs of pure magic power. Their feeds froze as she stood before them and her horn flashed a deep, watery blue, and, given a moment, they began to rewind.

“Open Ears thought this was just some sort of error — a fluctuation in the field — but then I found… well… I SURE showed _her..._ ” She mused with a cocky grin, speeding through the archival footage before finding a specific moment and stopping short. “Ah, right here. Yes, sure as rain. You were talking to a certain Raven Inkwell _here_ when, at the same time, she was over here in Wing _Beta._ ”

She gestured to the synchronized footage on another screen, and, sure as rain, there stood a second Raven Inkwell, rummaging through the drawers of a desk. Celestia went rigid as the unicorn began rolling footage back again.

“Yeeah, stuff like this goes all the way back in our archives, at least a few months. Here's another.” She pointed out another. Then another. Then one of Celestia, then of her sister, then Twilight, then another. It only kept going. “There's no telling if any of them in specific are this ‘Scythe’ character, but some of these dopplegangers… almost appear to…”

She tapped a point on the screen, where a Kibitz peered back out at the mares with a terrible, piercing grin.

“Stare directly into our arcane eyes.”

In that moment, icicles ran through Celestia's body. She barely had enough control over herself to grab the wizard by the shoulder, spinning her around with a touch too much vigor. The Princess wore a grim mask, then, almost like her face was nothing but skin and bones, and her glare alone could've killed.

“Expedite gate construction. Establish passwords. Start running manual examinations if you have to. This is worse than I'd feared.”

She looked back at the monitors. The monitors looked back.

“Bravo, bravo!”

It was that sound that brought her back down to earth.

She looked up with a nervous grin, body still shaking with exhaustion, where before her she could see rows and rows of ruby-red seats climbing up in a sharp slant. In the middle sat an unaffected earth pony with a clipboard, and a beret-wearing pegasus, clapping with joy, nearly jumping out of her seat. The pegasus shot a glare at the stallion sitting next to her, and, begrudgingly, he gave a single clap before returning to his clipboard.

“ _Next._ ”

She couldn't get out of there fast enough. Deep down, as she dashed off the stage and down its steps, her only hope was they couldn't see how much she was sweating up there.

The mare made a beeline for her messenger bag, still leaning against the brick theater wall where she had left it, and snatched it up. With the crunchy tear of it's velcro seal, the bag opened wide, allowing her to take a moment to count the books inside; 5 in all, about archery and painting and writing and other such things, each exactly where she had left them.

So, with a sigh of relief and the resealing of her bag, it seemed she was ready to go. Tossing it's strap over her shoulder, she burst through the double doors and found herself in the bright, warm lights of the theater's main hall. Relief spread through her body as she could feel her muscles loosen and she-

“You didn't tell me you were auditioning.”

Chrysalis nearly jumped out of her shape-shifted hide as a voice wrung directly behind her neck, and she spun around to see Celestia standing right there, glorious and golden as ever. Out of surprise, Chrysalis clutched her bag and stumbled back.

“H-How did you find me?”

“What do you mean? Of course I'd recognize those green eyes anywhere!” She said, picking up a foreleg and giving a wink. “Also, I'm looking for Kibitz, and his son is in this play.”

She gestured her head to the theater entrance, where Crescendo was still being greeted by his harrowed father.

“And you're... quite sure he would never betray you?”

“He would NEVER do that, Bulk LOVES me, father!”

Kibitz sighed, running a hoof down the length of his muzzle.

“First I must monitor Celestia's romantic life, now I must yours as well?”

Confirming this point for herself, Chrysalis scrunched her face up and shot a squinting glare back at Celestia.

“Touché. But you can't blame me for thinking you might be keeping tabs on me, yes?”

“Ah, I suppose not. It must simply be the will of justice guiding me to the doorstep of the greatest villain Equestria has ever known…” Celestia said, shooting a smirk like a blow to Chrysalis’ gut, forcing the Queen to catch her breath before she could answer with her own grin.

“ _Only_ Equestria? Hmph. I seem to recall you mentioning I threaten the entire _world_ as we know it…” She said, eyebrow cocked and teeth half-bared. Then there was a glacial shift in her body language, the tip of one of her hind hooves digging into the ground and her eyes sliding off of Celestia as her faux-bravado wore away to reveal something faintly vulnerable. “Hey, I, uh... know this isn't a part of the schedule, but the Nurses keep asking about you coming to the Hive, and I- well, I guess I was just wondering how you felt about that, is all. Coming over.”

The cocky grin on Celestia's face melted away as she blinked in surprise.

"Oh! Well, the weekly visit from me and the ambassadors isn't for another few days, but I was already missing the place, so yeah! I could-"

She was interrupted by a low cough.

“Princess.”

The royal pair rotated to the side and found Kibitz, his son nowhere in sight. The old stallion already seemed drained of patience when he tapped at his pocket watch.

“Good luck meeting you here. It seems I need no longer worry about my little… parental _delay_ costing us. Let's get moving, then."

" _What?_ " Chrysalis exclaimed, shoving herself in front of Celestia and towering above Kibitz, to which the unicorn simply gave an unimpressed snort.

"Hello to you too, Queen Chrysalis. Her Radiance has business to attend to."

”Well, to Tartarus with THAT. Celestia doesn't have to go unless she wants to!” She said, nudging the Princess. “Right, Celestia?”

The sullen Celestia pursed her lips together and looked away.

“It's... important, Chrys.”

A click resonated from Kibitz as he closed his watch.

“Yes. The conference in Manehattan cannot wait for any distractions.”

A jolt of fear ran through Chrysalis’ chest as her eyes began to dart between the two of them and she felt her head begin to ache, struck with the sensation of a noose tightening around her neck.

Then she figured out how to cut the rope.

“W-W-Well, that's on the way to the Hive anyhow!” She said, whipping back to Celestia and playing herself off with a shrug. “Maybe… maybe I'll be useful somehow. Whatever.”

She gave Celestia a desperate side-eye, and Celestia tilted her head in confusion before lighting back up.

" _Oh!_ Riiight." She gave Chrysalis a wink. "That's a good idea!"

The clatter of paper unraveling filled the hall as Kibitz produced an old, yellowed map of Equestria from his coat and he began running his hoof along the path from there to Manehattan.

“Actually, the Hive is...” He froze as a realization stopped him in his tracks. He looked at the two mares, rolled his eyes, and shoved his map back into his pocket. “I should never have volunteered for this position.”

With a tap of her chin, Celestia gave him a smug look.

“Hm... but that cook was just too handsome, huh?”

Kibitz began to grumble at the snickering Princess as you swore an unnoticed, plain vase on a nearby table jostled slightly. You thought you could even hear the vase giggle. But that's OUR little secret, isn't it?

The only sound in the cart, however, was the sound of wheels churning across cobble. Not even the sounds of murmuring passerbys could manage to find purchase. Snow-draped buildings towering into the sky crossed the window one by one, following each other with a practiced regularity, a rhythm that brought a sort of comfort to a very nervous Celestia.

Just as she flipped through another page of the book she wasn't reading, she caught the sound of a low sigh, causing her eyes to inch to the right. There she saw Chrysalis peering through an opposite window, elbow on the ledge, chin on her hoof. 

The open seat between them felt like a chasm, a distance Celestia didn't dare to cross, no matter how much she might've wanted to. She was right there — so close to the Queen Celestia could see the offbeat rhythm of her breathing, hear the occasional flicker of her chitinous wings adjusting themselves. She could reach out and touch her if she wanted to.  
Just thinking about it made Celestia's throat start to burn. Maybe if she just… it wouldn't hurt if she...

“So.”

“Yes.”

“Acting?”

“ _Yes._ ”

Unable to resist any longer, Celestia twisted to the side and crossed her forelegs.

“This is the thing you won't talk to me about?”

Chrysalis shoved herself into the backing of her seat and put on a furious pout.

“Okay, FINE, yes, ACTING! As it turns out, you happen upon a lot more free TIME when some PONY starts turning your HORNETS into docile HONEY BEES!” She said as she crossed her forelegs and tossed a vulnerable gaze out the window, sinking down. “It’s a foreign feeling.”

As it registered upon her what was actually being said, Celestia loosened herself up and gave a proud, if harrowed, scoff.

“Of course. But it’s a good feeling, I presume.” She said, gesturing to the city outside with her muzzle. “And it would be hypocritical of me to find fault in that, considering… everything.”

They bumped across a rock in the road as Chrysalis sighed a longing sigh and she leaned on her window ledge again. She sat there for a long time before rolling her head back around.

“By what curse are we animated so, princess?”

“Do you want me to say the duty of leadership or the multiple possible disorders we may have?”

A low, alien hum emanated from Chrysalis’ throat.

“Duty of leadership is fine.”

It was then Kibitz looked up from his scheduler.

“Shall we be revisiting the ‘therapy’ solution, then, girls?”

The cart ground to a halt as they arrived at their destination, a bluish-gray building. At first blush, the structure didn't seem any different from it's brethren, but, upon closer inspection, it possessed a sign that read ‘Applied Magics Hall’ in big, white letters, polished to a perfect sheen.

A guard pulled open the cart door and Chrysalis hopped out onto the cobblestone, taking in a big breath of fresh, cold air and exhaling it lukewarm. She heard motion from around the other side and turned the corner, only to be stunned by the momentary splendor of Celestia stretching her body out, wings unfurled.

“Ah, Manehattan U! It's been too long.”

“H-Huh…” Chrysalis said, approaching close behind, surveying the college campus all around while trying to stuff her funny-feeling awe deep down. “Is this your alma mater or something?”

Celestia laughed a youthful laugh.

“Stars, I wish I were that young. No, I built it! Actually, this hall right _here-_ ”

That's when a letter flashed before Celestia's face.

Without a word, she plucked it from the air, shredded the envelope, and pulled out its contents, bringing them close to her face all in a single motion. Just as quickly, Chrysalis shoved her forehead against Celestia's cheek and squinted at the paper, fighting for a good angle to read but finding she wasn't strong enough to push the Princess aside.

“What's it say?” Chrysalis looked up and snorted at Celestia, who only seemed to grow more despondent as she read on. “Celestia.”

“It's an update. About…” Celestia paused and blinked. “Somepony is causing a scene back home. Oh, no. Blue Bird again?”

“Okay. Off to the dungeon with him, then.” Celestia glared at her and she clicked her tongue back at Celestia. “I'm joking! Just… sick somepony even more annoying on him. Like Kibitz. But not him, because he's here with us.”

Celestia blinked, turning her head as she mulled over the idea. 

“That's… pretty clever, actually. Still, he's within his rights. If he does something to cross the line, though, I'll give it a shot.” 

Just then, Kibitz finally got around to exiting the cart himself, adjusting the brim of his collar. His presence seemed to derail Celestia's train of thought, and she didn't hesitate to go over and greet him.

“Hey, there you are, you old stallion! What were you doing in there, taking a nap?” She said, turning with him away from Chrysalis and huddling over. Celestia began to whisper, but not quiet enough to evade Chrysalis’ heightened sense of hearing; pointing one of her drooping ears up, she was easily able to make out bits of their conversation. “Look, this situation… this is worse than I'd feared, Kibitz. Much worse.”

“I… see. I believe I understand your sense of urgency. What is there we could do?”

They whispered a moment longer before rejoining Chrysalis, and, finally, the three pushed through the hall doors together. Just inside, they found themselves greeted by a plain, white sheet of paper, bearing a message scrawled in pencil that read 'Celestia: this way' and an arrow pointing deeper into the student-packed building. This point, however, was missed by Chrysalis as she trained a suspicious squint upon Celestia.

With a few turns and a flight of stairs, they soon found themselves at the door where all the signs pointed to, and inside was a single pony already preparing herself for the discussion, coffee cup and sheets of notes shuffling in front of her. 

She wore a large pair of black-framed glasses, which, when combined with her black turtleneck sweater, smothered her features underneath like a layer of armor. Her coat, in contrast, was a light yellow, her unkempt mane shades of red and violet. As Kibitz passed through the door, she snapped her head up and glared at him through the mirrors covering her face, poking her mouth out.

"You guys are late. Got research I'm supposed to be doing out here."

Kibitz swabbed his forehead.

"Yes, er… Miss. Pardon our delay."

She glared at him some more and turned away, revealing her cutie mark: a purple crescent and three lavender stars.

"It's Moon. Moon Dancer."

The royal pair, however, had yet to join them.

They were still at a distance behind Kibitz when he arrived at their destination, leaving them alone in the hall the moment he passed over the door's threshold. That was when Chrysalis found her moment to strike.

“So…” She grumbled, following close behind as Celestia strode forward. “May I finally receive the privilege of knowing why we are here?”

The Princess nearly toppled over as she skid to a halt and spun around, her face lighting up.

“Ah, I'm quite glad you asked! There's going to be a discussion here on the mechanics of anti-magic effects and how such phenomena may be manipulated using the Principles of-”

A rush of fear took Celestia hostage and she froze on the spot, cutting herself off. Her mind began to spin in circles as she turned away.

“Actually, you know...” She said as she scratched the back of her neck, finding it much easier to look at the ground instead of Chrysalis’ eyes. “You know, this... really IS going to be boring. You don't have to come with me if you don't want to.”

All sense of distrust Chrysalis harbored there was suppressed as she could feel her hearts squeeze watching Celestia wall up again. And like puppet strings tugging against her carapace, the squeezing Chrysalis felt compelled her to walk around and force eye contact. She put all of the energy she had into forcing out a wiry smile, but it came out more like a predatory snarl.

“You're doing that thing again where you don't expect me to see through your ruse. You're trying to shut me out, and I don't really think that's fair.” Chrysalis bit her tongue as she noticed Celestia recoil a bit, the image of her kicking herself flashing in her mind. “Look. I'll be fine sitting through your nerdy lecture, Celestia. Even if I must completely zone out, I plundered a set of books from that library of yours only _today._ If it's something you love, I... wish to give it a shot.”

Just then, Celestia swore Chrysalis’ glowing eyes might set her aflame. Her only hope was Chrysalis couldn't feel the way her body temperature had just increased when she heard her say that. 

Trapped like a deer in headlights, Celestia gulped as her trembling mouth opened.

“Y-You're sure?”

“Yes! Enough of this modesty, Celestia.” Chrysalis looped a foreleg into hers. “You're not running me away that easily.”

Electricity ran through Celestia’s body and she tore herself away, face turning red.

“Why do you keep touching me like that?” 

“What?” Chrysalis said, innocence in her voice as she broke into a cold sweat. “Well, it's… I-I-I just... I'm doing it without thinking, it's just what feels uh, well... well...”

A panic overcame Chrysalis as she looked at her hoof, as she realized exactly what she had been doing. Her panic negated Celestia's, sobering her back up as she furrowed her brow.

"Chrys...? You there?" 

"It's… I'm only…"

Celestia could feel her insides twist as she watched Chrysalis descend further into her own mind, and it wasn't long before the experience found itself unbearable. After giving a quick glance over her shoulder, Celestia grabbed Chrysalis by the same hoof she had just touched her with and pulled her aside into an empty classroom, shutting the door behind them. Chrysalis’ brain was still spinning when Celestia guided her to a chair and set her down, continuing to hold her hoof with a mature expression on her face.

"Breathe. Just focus on your breathing for a moment."

And Chrysalis did.

She focused on the air entering and exiting her lungs, her muscles releasing one by one as she could feel Celestia's love drift out of her mouth and into hers, forming a nigh-imperceptible flow between the two of them. Chrysalis sucked in another breath of air, receiving enough energy to crack open her eyes.

"I... don't know why… why was that so hard for me to answer?"

Celestia shifted in her seat, pulling her hoof away.

“I think we might need to talk, Chrys. Seriously talk.” She gave a sigh. “Luna told me you might be struggling with your… feelings, and I thought she was just being nice when she said that. But now… now I just don't know.”

“Celestia, this is... really a lot to consider…”

“It's a lot for me, t-” Celestia choked as she bit her tongue, ambushed by the urge to become teary-eyed. _Where did that come from?_ she thought as she shook her head. “I'm… confused, is all. More worried than anything else. You vie for my time and affection, you seem deeply hurt when I stop calling you by pet name, and you touch me in a way I haven't been touched for a very long time. So I just need a straight answer…"

She leaned onto the table, chewing her lip.

"Why? Why exactly do you seem to care so much? Am I just a very dear friend to you?"

It was like the ceiling had caved in and landed on Chrysalis. She would have preferred it to what was happening right now, to the sick feeling she had in her chest, this sickness she had with herself, this sweet sickness Celestia inspired within her. But, as Chrysalis set her hooves down on the desk, she was shocked to realize how good it felt to speak after all this time.

“I… I don’t know why I'm doing it, I really don't. I'm just doing... what makes me feel…” She paused to give Celestia a helpless look and an unconvincing shrug. “Nice. Right.”

Celestia returned a pained smile and mirrored her by putting her own hooves on the desk.

“Have you ever asked yourself why that might be?”

The urge to grab Celestia's hoof struck Chrysalis again, and she sprung from her chair out of a terrified instinct.

“I-It's not what you think! It CAN'T be! I'm… supposed to be with Scythe.” She trembled towards the door and Celestia hopped up, concern in her expression.

“But you HATE Scythe, you told me that yourself! Your changelings seem to hate him, too. They like me more, at... least...” She said, her voice trailing off as she covered up her mouth. It wasn't long before she knew she couldn't take back her words, when, before her eyes, she saw Chrysalis’ helpless limp curl itself into a suspicious gait.

“Ah. Ahh, is _that_ what's happening here?” She rattled, lurking near the floor and squinting at Celestia. “Using my own against me already? Don't you think you're taking things a little _fast,_ princess...?”

Uncovering her face and taking a deep breath, Celestia took a wide stance and cocked one of her eyebrows.

“I like to think I've shown a considerable amount of restraint. You're lucky I haven't asked you to move in with me yet.”

She was making a joke, but, regardless, Celestia spoke with a staunch clarity she rarely employed, and she didn't flinch a muscle when Chrysalis popped up in front of her.

“Shall I be expecting that NEXT, then? Hmm?”

“Well, I traditionally do that with mares I'm already dating, but…” Celestia cut short as Chrysalis shot her a venomous glare. “Yeah, bad joke. Look…”

She pushed her way past Chrysalis and began to pace.

“This isn't even about you REJECTING me, you just…” Celestia tapped at her head, the words becoming difficult as she turned back to face Chrysalis. “You just... seem like you're struggling with something… romantic, you know? And I can't stand to see you struggle, not if there might be something I could... do... to... help?" 

Either it was beginning to rain through the caved-in ceiling, or Chrysalis could feel sweat forming on her dizzied forehead. Words came to her mouth, but she choked on them, closing her eyes and rubbing at the bridge of her muzzle. 

“I-I… tried. Okay? I'm trying. But I can't do this right now, Celestia. Not now.” She opened her eyes again to point an accusatory hoof at Celestia. “And RUSHING me isn't going to help! You hear me? Do NOT rush me on this.”

“I wasn't…?”

Before Celestia could finish her response, Chrysalis spun away and grabbed the doorknob, only to stall as she tried to leave. Pressing her forehead against the small window set in the door and letting it cool her head, Chrysalis exhaled a breath that fogged the glass.

“You know, I've never needed anyone before. My heart was supposed to be too full to infiltrate. But you've ruined that.”

“Chrys, I…”

“You've corrupted me.”

And she slammed the door behind her, leaving Celestia in the unkind emptiness of the room. She thought she could smell smoke as her longing heart began to smolder.

Chrysalis was lucky the hallways had cleared themselves out a long time ago. She was less lucky, however, when a piercing headache began to form as she stumbled from door to door, her distress worsening each time she glowered at the blurry forms within. Room after room, she found yet another class after yet another class, with not an end in sight.

Eventually, she came upon her signal of hope: a public restroom. In a mad dash, she ran up to its door, but, as she went to reach for it, the placard on the front transformed into a yellow, red-pupiled eye, and the door knob turned into an aven claw that began to wave in protest at her.

“Oh, excuse me!”

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? YOU AGAIN!”

The animated door revealed itself to be a false covering as the hand rolled it up into a wooden log, popping off and revealing the true door underneath. A chainsaw appeared from a gap in nothingness, and, in a blur of wood chips and dust, carved the door in the shape of the embodiment of chaos, Discord, tugging thoughtfully at his facial hair. The carving fell to the floor with a clunk, beginning to move as color washed over it.

“Why hello, Miss... Chrysalis, was it? Made any progress on our plan to betray ol’ Celestia today, ol’ buddy ol’ pal?” He said, producing a calendar and pointing at the date March 15 with an iron dagger. Chrysalis sneered at him.

“You will NOT joke about that, draconequus.”

Discord snickered as he leaned to the side and whispered to you behind his lion paw.

“Sheesh. Tough crowd, eh? I'm beginning to wonder if she doesn't really LIKE being in our little _Reformed Baddie Gang._ ” He said, giving you a wink and returning to Chrysalis, his dagger turning into a pair of reading spectacles and his calendar turning into a script entitled ‘The Room’. “Fine, fine, I'll read the room. Just can't resist Celestia's feminine wiles, eh?”

He clicked the spectacles onto his face as Chrysalis’ entire body turned green and steam began to shoot out of her ears.

“Y-Y-YOU WILL NOT JOKE ABOUT THAT EITHER.”

He flipped to a page depicting the image of a cat.

“Oh, me-OW. Or… what is it you insects say? You don't onomatopoeia well.”

Chrysalis hissed hard enough spit got on Discord's face, and windshield wipers popped out of his glasses to wipe them off.

“Ah, like that!”

“If I did not think it would hurt NOVA, you would already be a broken heap on the GROUND. _MOVE._ ”

She shoulder checked him, and Discord burst into a number of wooden blocks, falling to the ground in a pile as she rushed through him with a clatter. The three blocks possessing his eyes and mouth respectively landed in a perfect stack on the ground, the script landing next to them as he clicked his tongue.

“The queen doth protest too much, methinks.”

She slammed the bathroom door — the REAL bathroom door — behind her and was relieved to find no one in there waiting for her. Stumbling to the sinks, she twisted the nearest one on and dunked her head in, letting the water run over her for as long as she could hold her breath. Exactly 8 minutes later, she hit her limit, pulling back up with a panting gasp.

“I'm... not in... love with… Celestia.” 

She gazed into the mirror, slicking her drenched mane back, jaw trembling.

“Right?”

Her reflection taunted her, seeing herself in this state over another — over a pony _Princess_ , no less. The way her chest trembled each time she drew breath, the way her bloodshot eyes threatened tears… 

For all of her very long life, she had pursued the satisfaction of her hunger, no matter the costs. But _this_ hunger, _this_ DESIRE, she found distinct and terrifying and... wonderful all at once.

Her headache worsened the longer she looked, the more the thoughts in her head rattled around. Her breathing became more and more shallow, accelerating until...

She tore away from her reflection and, with a single, quick shockwave, shattered the mirror from the inside out, sending a spider web of cracks running through the once-smooth surface. Now, in the place of what was once a single reflection, a million of her stared back in the darkness.

In that same moment, the faucet next to her squeaked to life.

“Whoa, uh… everything good?”

Chrysalis spun around, nearly slipping off her hooves and catching on the sink.

“YOU! Where did YOU come from?”

Standing there as if having appeared from thin air, she saw a red and yellow unicorn, an expression of concern on her face.

“You didn't check the stalls before you had your little, uh... breakdown.” The mystery mare shrugged, throwing up a hoof as Chrysalis twisted herself into a defensive stance. “It's okay, I'm not going to snitch! We all have our moments. You're probably not even the first mare to come running in here to lament over her feelings for Celestia that may or may not exist.”

She waited for a response, but Chrysalis sat there frozen, foreleg hooked onto the sink like she was holding on for dear life. The unicorn sighed to herself.

“Here's all I'll say. Straight girls wouldn't need to ask themselves that question, because they'd never find themselves in the place to ask. Just do what feels right, okay?” She said, wearing a gentle, understanding smile on her face. “Unless that's breaking more mirrors. I'll only let that slide once.”

Chrysalis gulped.

“Thanks.”

Squeaking the faucet back off, she gave Chrysalis a nod.

“Of course.”

Then Sunset turned and left. 

The moment the bathroom door was shut behind the unicorn, she teleported with a flash of orange to a different part of the building, a hallway where the lights had gone out. She waited, paced for a moment, then tossed her mane aside.

“Why can't you go up and talk to them yourself? I'm sure they'd be accepting.”

A figure appeared out of the darkness, almost appearing to form directly out of the shadows themselves. They were massive, nearly as tall as the ceiling itself, and the air seemed to thicken in their presence as their thunderous approach threatened to break the floor beneath them. 

“We could ask thou the same. Nay. One cannot simply act without forethought. ‘Tis not time. In fact…” They looked down at her, hallow eyes still draped in darkness. “Thou were once the first born's pupil, yes? Tell us... what it is you know.”

Turning her head down but keeping line of sight with them, a glint appeared in Sunset's eyes. Somewhere, elsewhere, Celestia felt her ears begin to burn.


End file.
